Meaning & use

chilly

adjective·Everyday

Uncomfortably cold, or, describing behavior, noticeably unfriendly or lacking in warmth.

See it in a sentence

It was a chilly morning, so we wore jackets on our walk to school.

Her chilly reply made it clear she was still upset about the argument.

A note on using this word

"Chilly" is milder than "freezing" and works equally well for weather or for an unwelcoming manner.

Words with a similar meaning

coldcoolfrosty

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “chilly”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.