cold call

noun

Synonyms of cold callnext
: a telephone call soliciting business made directly to a potential customer without prior contact or without a lead
cold-call verb

Examples of cold call in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Most bank on cold calls instead, and their tactics can be manipulative. Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026 Life insurance sales have often relied on cold calls, price comparisons, and calculations that may not be fully visible to customers. Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Moroccans worry the new French law, which bans unsolicited cold calls, could have a negative impact on Morocco’s job market. Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026 If writing a 10-page proposal yields $30,000 in capital faster than closing 50 cold calls, a rational business owner will devote their afternoons to proposal writing. Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cold call

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cold call was in 1966

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cold call.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold%20call. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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