deep freeze

¹ American  

noun

1. a state or period of halted or suspended activity or progress.

   High interest rates created a deep freeze in housing construction.

2. suspended animation.

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idioms

1. put in / into the deep freeze, to stop or suspend the activity or progress of.

   A series of quarrels put their romance into the deep freeze.

deep-freeze ² American  

[deep-freez] / ˈdipˈfriz /

verb (used with object)

deep-freezed, deep-froze, deep-freezed, deep-frozen, deep-freezing

1. to quick-freeze (food).

2. to store in a frozen state.

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Etymology

Origin of deep freeze¹

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Origin of deep-freeze²

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50; deep + freeze

Example Sentences

Two years after a cold-storage operator delivered the year’s largest public offering, the U.S. market for refrigerated warehouse space is in the deep freeze.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

History reminds us big stand offs between London and Washington, such as the UK resisting American pressure to send troops to Vietnam, don't have to banish relations to a perpetual deep freeze.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

The pandemic’s housing rush—followed by its deep freeze caused by rising prices and mortgage rates—also played a part.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

The winter storm that sent Americans scurrying to buy snowblowers, shovels, and rock salt now has them in a deep freeze.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

I tried the number again while the obliging proprietor dug up his two coldest ones from the bottom of the deep freeze.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez