# freezing

/ˈfɹizɪŋ/ (US) · /fɹˈiːzɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/freezing
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. very cold

adjective · CEFR A2

extremely cold, often used when you feel very uncomfortable in the winter.

For teachers: denoting a temperature that is extremely low or uncomfortable. Often used hyperbolically in informal contexts.

- Put on your thick coat because it is freezing outside today.
- The hikers were freezing by the time they reached the summit, as the wind chill had dropped the temperature far below what they expected.

### 2. at zero degrees

adjective · CEFR B1

at the temperature where water turns into ice.

For teachers: relating to the temperature at which a liquid, especially water, turns into a solid.

- The pipes might burst if the weather stays at freezing temperatures all week.
- The experiment required the solution to be maintained at a constant freezing point to observe the crystal formation.

### 3. turning to ice

noun · CEFR B2

the process of a liquid becoming a solid because of the cold.

For teachers: the physical transition of a substance from a liquid state to a solid state due to the removal of heat.

- The freezing of the lake happens slowly once the air temperature drops.
- Rapid freezing is essential in the food industry to prevent large ice crystals from damaging the texture of the produce.

### 4. medical numbing

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the use of medicine to make a part of your body lose feeling so you do not feel pain.

For teachers: the administration of a local anaesthetic to induce a loss of sensation in a specific area of the body.

- The dentist gave me some freezing before he started working on my tooth.
- The surgeon waited for the freezing to take full effect before beginning the minor procedure on the patient's hand.

## Examples

- The water is freezing so do not jump in.
- The hikers were caught in a freezing rainstorm and had to find shelter immediately to avoid hypothermia.
- Despite the freezing temperatures outside, the insulation in the cabin kept the interior remarkably warm throughout the night.

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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.