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Synonyms

frigid

American  
[frij-id] / ˈfrɪdʒ ɪd /

adjective

  1. very cold in temperature.

    a frigid climate.

  2. without warmth of feeling; without ardor or enthusiasm.

    a frigid reaction to the suggested law.

  3. stiff or formal.

    a welcome that was polite but frigid.
    Synonyms:
    cool, chilly, frosty, distant, standoffish, aloof

  4. (of a woman)

    1. inhibited in the ability to experience sexual excitement during sexual activity.

    2. unresponsive to sexual advances or stimuli.

  5. unemotional or unimaginative; lacking passion, sympathy, or sensitivity.

    a correct, but frigid presentation.
frigid British  
/ ˈfrɪdʒɪd /

adjective

  1. formal or stiff in behaviour or temperament; lacking in affection or warmth

    1. lacking sexual responsiveness

    2. averse to sexual intercourse or unable to achieve orgasm during intercourse

  3. characterized by physical coldness

    a frigid zone
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • frigidity noun
  • frigidly adverb
  • frigidness noun
  • nonfrigid adjective
  • nonfrigidly adverb
  • nonfrigidness noun
  • unfrigid adjective
  • unfrigidly adverb
  • unfrigidness noun

Etymology

Origin of frigid

1590–1600; < Latin frīgidus, equivalent to frīg ( us ) coldness (akin to Greek rhîgos; rigid ) + -idus -id 4

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.

Snowstorms and frigid temperatures in parts of the country likely weighed on employment in February, with the leisure and hospitality and construction sectors losing a combined 24,000 jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Athena ended up in a frigid crater and tipped over, leaving its solar batteries unable to charge.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

This developing heatwave follows recent blizzards and frigid conditions in the Midwest and Great Lakes, along with heavy thunderstorms and tornado threats towards the East Coast.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

Now the Red Planet is frigid, dry, and surrounded by only a thin layer of air.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

She parks the car in the nearly empty lot, and we all pile out and cut through the grass, still dewy in the frigid morning air, to where Baba stands on the steps.

From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan

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.