Meaning & use
cold calls
Last updated
“cold calls” is a form of “cold call”.
Meanings
nounpluralbusiness
Phone calls made to people you do not know, usually to sell something.
Grammar: Usually plural; singular is 'cold call': I got a cold call yesterday.
Patterns
- make cold calls
- receive cold calls
The sales team makes cold calls every morning.
I keep getting cold calls about insurance.
She hates making cold calls to strangers.
verbtransitivebusiness
Third person singular of cold call: to phone someone you do not know to sell something.
Grammar: Takes an object: He cold calls new customers.
Patterns
- cold call someone
- cold call a company
He cold calls people to offer free trials.
She cold calls businesses in her area.
Word forms
| singular | cold call |
|---|
Common combinations
- make cold calls
- Salespeople make cold calls to find new customers.
- receive cold calls
- We receive cold calls every day.
- cold calls from companies
- Cold calls from companies can be annoying.
Synonyms and how they differ
- telemarketing calls
- A broader term for sales calls, often including calls to existing customers.
Word family
- cold call noun
- One such call.
- cold calling noun
- The activity of making cold calls.
Practice
What are cold calls?
Choose one answer.
Cold calls are sales calls to strangers. They are not about temperature or emergencies.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cold calls”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.