freezing

1 of 2

adjective

freez·​ing ˈfrē-ziŋ 

1

: very cold

"Put on your jacket. It's freezing outside!"

Addy rushed home through the darkening streets as if she were pushed along by the wind. She was freezing!

—Connie Porter

2

: being at or below the temperature at which water freezes

a forecast for freezing temperatures overnight

freezing adverb

The weather was freezing cold. [=very cold]

freezingly adverb

freezingly cold temperatures

Mrs. Reed's hands still lay on her work inactive: her eye of ice continued to dwell freezingly on mine.

—Charlotte Brontë

freezing

2 of 2

noun

: the temperature at which water freezes

temperatures dipping below freezing

Synonyms

Adjective

• algid
• arctic
• bitter
• bone-chilling
• chill
• chilly
• cold
• coldish
• cool
• coolish
• frigid
• frosty
• gelid
• glacial
• ice-cold
• icy
• nipping
• nippy
• numbing
• polar
• shivery
• snappy
• wintry
• wintery

Examples of freezing in a Sentence

Adjective

why aren't you wearing a coat, as it's freezing outside?

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

On cold nights, this is the perfect layer to add to your bed to stay warm despite the freezing temperatures. —Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2024

This year’s arrival of freezing temperatures could be the latest in more than a decade, National Weather Service meteorologists said. —Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2024

Noun

Cryopreservation is the freezing of biological materials to be used later for reproduction. —Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 27 Oct. 2024

When using frozen, blanch them for 1 minute instead of 4 (because they’ve already been blanched prior to freezing). —Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1777, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing freezing

• freezing point
• freezing rain