# chilly climate

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/chilly-climate
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A male-dominated environment where both overt and subtle forms of discrimination lead to the unequal treatment of women

## Examples

- The office has a chilly climate for women.
- She left the engineering firm because the chilly climate made it impossible for her to advance in her career.
- Despite the company's public commitment to diversity, the persistent chilly climate continues to discourage women from seeking leadership roles within the organization.

## Origin

From chilly, in the sense of an unfriendly or distant manner, and climate, referring to the general context of a particular situation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.