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• cold shoulder
  cold shoulder

  noun

  a show of deliberate indifference or disregard.
• cold-shoulder
  cold-shoulder

  verb (used with object)

  to snub; show indifference to.

cold shoulder

¹ American  

[kohld shohl-der] / ˈkoʊld ˈʃoʊl dər /

noun

1. a show of deliberate indifference or disregard.

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adjective

1. Also cold-shoulder (of a sleeved garment) having a portion of each sleeve cut out, leaving the shoulders exposed.

   cold shoulder tops for everyday wear;

   a cold-shoulder dress.

cold-shoulder ² American  

[kohld-shohl-der] / ˈkoʊldˈʃoʊl dər /

verb (used with object)

1. to snub; show indifference to.

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cold shoulder British  

noun

1. a show of indifference; a slight

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verb

1. to treat with indifference

cold shoulder Cultural  

1. To “give someone the cold shoulder” is to ignore someone deliberately: “At the party, Carl tried to talk to Suzanne, but she gave him the cold shoulder.”

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cold shoulder Idioms  

1. Deliberate coldness or disregard, a slight or snub. For example, When I said hello to her in the library, she gave me the cold shoulder and walked away. This term, which first appeared in writings by Sir Walter Scott and others, supposedly alludes to the custom of welcoming a desired guest with a meal of roasted meat, but serving only a cold shoulder of beef or lamb—a far inferior dish—to those who outstayed their welcome. [Early 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of cold shoulder¹

First recorded in 1810–20; cold shoulder def. 2 was first recorded in 2010–15

Origin of cold-shoulder²

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cold shoulder cold-shoulder

Sure, in public, some executives may give him the cold shoulder, but when he’s in small meetings, or dealing with executives one-on-one, he says the vibe is excitement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2026

“Yellowstone” and “Marshals” star Luke Grimes recently told podcaster Joe Rogan that he’s gotten the cold shoulder after moving to the Big Sky State with his family.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 23, 2026

Ms McCullough told the court that if she "said anything" that McCullagh "didn't like" or "disagreed" with, he would have "given her the cold shoulder".

From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2026

His early attempts to fit in did not go well; the other monkeys gave him either the cold shoulder or a very hard time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026

I was prepared for his wrath, but the cold shoulder stings more.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

When he got back to the dugout, the 25-year-old, who made his debut on Sunday, was given the cold-shoulder treatment by his teammates before they broke down and congratulated him.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 7, 2022

What stood out was the designer’s use of lace, cold-shoulder cuts and strategically placed ruching to camouflage love handles or unwanted bulges with a ripple effect.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2017

So was swapping out the paillettes and bugle beads, the way Riccardo Tisci did at Givenchy, and instead using small circular fabric “mirrors” as adornment on cold-shoulder prairie-queen silk gowns.

From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2017

You don’t say that she’s otherwise unfriendly or standoffish, so don’t assume she’s trying to cold-shoulder you unless and until her behavior bears this theory out.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2016

Before Khalil, I planned to cold-shoulder Chris with a sting more powerful than a nineties R&B breakup song.

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas