# cold turkey

idiom

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

## Meaning

A sudden and complete withdrawal from a dependent substance, especially a drug.

## Examples

- He quit smoking cold turkey last month.
- After years of heavy drinking, she decided to stop cold turkey rather than cut down gradually.
- The recovering addict, trembling in the clinic's harsh light, had chosen to go cold turkey rather than accept the slower, medicated path to sobriety.

## Origin

The origin of the phrase is subject to various explanations, several of which are detailed in the Wikipedia entry for cold turkey. The term first appeared in the early 20th century.

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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.