cold shoulder
noun
: intentionally cold or unsympathetic treatment
got the cold shoulder from an old friend
Examples of cold shoulder in a Sentence
at the party the two former friends consciously gave each other the cold shoulder
Recent Examples on the Web
Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to deepen ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin in May, turning a cold shoulder to the U.S. after Blinken flew to Beijing in a diplomatic gesture.
—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
Trump took this ideological variant of isolationism too far during his presidency, exhibiting a fondness for autocrats such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jung Un while giving a cold shoulder to the leaders of allied democracies.
—Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2024
Like many filmmakers before him, Christopher Nolan had to endure some cold shoulders and false starts in his relationship with Oscar, but he’ll be welcomed into the club with open arms.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2024
How likely, for example, are my wife and I to get back on speaking terms after giving each other a cold shoulder ever since the second Reagan administration?
—Bob Brody, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cold shoulder 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
Trump took this ideological variant of isolationism too far during his presidency, exhibiting a fondness for autocrats such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jung Un while giving a cold shoulder to the leaders of allied democracies.
—Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2024
Like many filmmakers before him, Christopher Nolan had to endure some cold shoulders and false starts in his relationship with Oscar, but he’ll be welcomed into the club with open arms.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2024
How likely, for example, are my wife and I to get back on speaking terms after giving each other a cold shoulder ever since the second Reagan administration?
—Bob Brody, New York Daily News, 14 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cold shoulder
Dictionary Entries Near cold shoulder
Cite this Entry
“Cold shoulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold%20shoulder. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share