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Synonyms

sub-zero

American  
[suhb-zeer-oh] / sʌbˈzɪər oʊ /

adjective

  1. indicating or recording lower than zero on some scale, especially on the Fahrenheit scale.

    a week of sub-zero temperatures.

  2. characterized by or appropriate for sub-zero temperatures.

    sub-zero climates; sub-zero clothing for the exploration.

Etymology

Origin of sub-zero

sub- + zero

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.

However, a sub-zero start to the day is also expected in many other areas including central and northern England, north Wales and Northern Ireland.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

Repair crews are racing to reconnect homes to power and heat, but sub-zero temperatures and repeated air strikes have slowed their efforts.

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

Hundreds also took part in a protest in sub-zero temperatures in Chicago.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

The spokesman also told AFP that most of the casualties were caused by roof collapses and avalanches, while many also died from frostbite in sub-zero temperatures.

From Barron's • Jan. 24, 2026

He was behind his curtain now, looking down at himself freezing under the impact of water in sub-zero winds.

From "Native Son" by Richard Wright

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.