- present participle of freeze.
freezing
Americanadjective
-
(of temperatures) approaching, at, or below the freezing point.
-
extremely or uncomfortably cold; chilled.
We were both freezing and welcomed the hot cocoa.
-
beginning to freeze or partially frozen; in the process of being or becoming frozen.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of freezing
Vocabulary lists containing freezing
Chemistry - Introductory
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Chemistry - High School
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Chemistry - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said heavy rain could overwhelm drainage systems and penetrate walls, causing damp and erosion, while repeated cycles of wetting, drying, freezing and thawing could harm stonework.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Nepal was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of destruction from the tsunami-like wall of freezing water and debris triggered by a glacial and rock collapse on the Nepal-China border on August 26.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Whether walking in freezing rain without an umbrella or wearing Mickey Mouse ears around campus, Zamorano always knows what he’s doing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
Universities across the country are slashing admissions to doctoral programs and freezing faculty hiring as they come under financial strain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
He was freezing cold and caked in grime and sure of absolutely nothing except that he had just made a series of horrible mistakes, each worse than the last.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.