Meaning & use
coldly
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Meaning
adverb
In a way that shows no friendly feelings or warmth.
Grammar: Typically modifies a verb, as in 'He looked at her coldly.' It can also modify an adjective, as in 'a coldly logical decision.'
Patterns
- say something coldly
- look at someone coldly
- coldly + adjective
She coldly refused his offer of help.
The manager coldly informed us that our jobs were at risk.
He stared coldly at the stranger who had interrupted him.
Common combinations
- speak coldly
- He spoke coldly to the reporters and walked away.
- reply coldly
- She replied coldly that she was not interested.
- treat someone coldly
- The new boss treated his staff coldly at first.
- coldly received
- The proposal was coldly received by the committee.
- coldly polite
- His coldly polite manner made everyone uncomfortable.
Synonyms and how they differ
- frostily
- Frostily is more literary and suggests an icy, distant manner; coldly is the everyday choice.
- indifferently
- Indifferently means showing no interest or concern, while coldly emphasizes a lack of warmth or friendliness.
- harshly
- Harshly means in a cruel or severe way; coldly focuses on emotional distance rather than cruelty.
Opposites
Word family
- cold adjective
- Having a low temperature; also unfriendly or unemotional.
- coldness noun
- The quality of being cold in temperature or in manner.
Commonly confused: coldly or coolly?
coldly vs coolly
Coolly means in a calm, controlled way, often approvingly; coldly is more negative and suggests unfriendliness.
Practice
Choose the correct word: She looked at me ______ and said nothing.
Choose one answer.
The verb 'looked' needs an adverb to describe how she looked, so 'coldly' is correct. 'Cold' is an adjective and cannot modify a verb; 'colder' is a comparative adjective; 'coldness' is a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “coldly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.