Word
coldness
Phoneticscold·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkoʊɫdnəs/
UK/kˈəʊldnəs/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. low temperature that makes you feel cold. You also use it for behaviour that feels unfriendly or distant.
n. low temperature or absence of heat in an object, space, or environment. Extended to emotional distance or lack of friendliness in interpersonal behaviour.
Examples
“I feel the coldness of the floor under my feet.”
“She pulls her coat tighter as the evening coldness settles over the bus stop.”
“The coldness of his reply made it clear that the friendship had ended long before the meeting.”
Examples
simple
“I feel the coldness of the floor under my feet.”
contextual
“She pulls her coat tighter as the evening coldness settles over the bus stop.”
complex
“The coldness of his reply made it clear that the friendship had ended long before the meeting.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “coldness” in context.
Verb
01. coldness hurts
“Her coldness hurts more than any angry words could.”
noun + verb
02. coldness lingers
“A coldness lingers in the old castle even in summer.”
noun + verb
03. coldness settles
“As evening fell, a coldness settled over the valley.”
noun + verb
04. coldness spreads
“A coldness spreads through the house when the heating fails.”
noun + verb
05. display coldness
“She did not smile and displayed coldness toward the guests.”
verb + noun
06. endure coldness
“The hikers had to endure the coldness of the mountain night.”
verb + noun
07. feel coldness
“I could feel the coldness of the stone floor through my socks.”
verb + noun
Adjective
08. bitter coldness
“We pulled our coats tighter against the bitter coldness of the night.”
adj + noun
09. emotional coldness
“His emotional coldness after the argument upset the whole family.”
adj + noun
10. extreme coldness
“The extreme coldness inside the freezer made my fingers go numb.”
adj + noun
11. a wave of coldness hit
“A wave of coldness hit us when we entered the cave.”
12. detect a hint of coldness
“I detected a hint of coldness in his voice during the call.”
Etymology
From Middle English coldnesse, from Old English cealdness, cealdnys (“coldness”), from Proto-West Germanic *kaldanassī (“coldness”), equivalent to cold + -ness. Cognate with West Frisian kâldens (“coldness”), Middle Low German koldenisse, kōldenisse (“coldness”), Middle High German kaltnisse, keltnisse (“coldness”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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