Phrasal verb
freeze out
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
freeze out
Past
froze out
Past participle
frozen out
Definition
phrasal verb. to exclude someone from a group by being cold and unfriendly. You use this when people ignore someone until they feel they do not belong.
phrasal verb. to exclude a person from a group or activity through social isolation or coldness. The verb is transitive and often appears in the passive voice.
Examples
“The other kids started to freeze out the new student.”
“After he reported the safety violation, his coworkers began to freeze him out by stopping all casual conversation when he entered the room.”
“The dominant firm attempted to freeze out its smaller competitors by securing exclusive contracts with the region's primary raw material suppliers.”
Examples
simple
“The other kids started to freeze out the new student.”
contextual
“After he reported the safety violation, his coworkers began to freeze him out by stopping all casual conversation when he entered the room.”
complex
“The dominant firm attempted to freeze out its smaller competitors by securing exclusive contracts with the region's primary raw material suppliers.”
Usage
This phrasal verb is transitive and the object can sit between 'freeze' and 'out'.
Teaching tip
Use the 'cold' metaphor to help students remember that this involves being unfriendly or ignoring someone.
Pitfall
They froze out to him.
They froze him out.
The verb is transitive and does not take the preposition 'to' before the object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
optional
Pattern
freeze + out + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
PHRASAL VERB
Grammar
- 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
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/freeze-out