# cold comfort

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/cold-comfort
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Much less reassurance, consolation, aid, or pleasure than one needs or desires.

## Examples

- His apology was cold comfort after he broke my favorite vase.
- A warm blanket is cold comfort when you are hungry.
- The company offered a small refund, but it was cold comfort to the customers who lost their entire savings.
- Knowing that other people also failed the exam was cold comfort when I realized I had to pay for the entire course again.
- The landlord promised to fix the heater next week, which was cold comfort to the family sleeping in a freezing apartment tonight.
- While the judge acknowledged the victim's suffering, the modest financial settlement provided only cold comfort for the years of hardship she had endured.

## Origin

William Shakespeare popularized the expression in the late 16th century, most notably in *The Taming of the Shrew*. The phrase appears in the play as a description of a cold and unwelcome reception, though the components of the idiom existed in Middle English prior to his usage. Shakespeare’s inclusion ensured the term remained a standard English fixture for a consolation that offers no actual relief.

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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.