cold-blooded

adjective

ˈkōl(d)-ˈblə-dəd How to pronounce cold-blooded (audio)
Definition of cold-bloodednext
1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings a cold-blooded criminal who never once showed an ounce of mercy to his victims

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling the cold-blooded selfishness shown by the miser when confronted by people in need

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion a cold-blooded assessment of the situation showed that the company needed either to lay off workers or go bankrupt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in hybrid
or coldblood being offspring produced by parents of different races, breeds, species, or genera he may not be as fancy as the other horses they own, but that cold-blooded gelding is safe and gentle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cold-blooded To plants and cold-blooded creatures, in contrast, fungi pose grave threats. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 25 May 2026 Today, monitor lizards are considered to be among the most intelligent of all cold-blooded animals. — Craig Stanford, Big Think, 7 May 2026 From a long-quiet wingman who dispensed with six years of muttering under his breath and spoke with a cold-blooded certainty that announced his arrival as a force to be reckoned with. — Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 1 May 2026 The research suggests that warm-blooded fish species, which include great whites, shortfin makos and salmon sharks, burn about four times more energy than cold-blooded species and will increasingly be forced into cooler regions with less food. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cold-blooded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold-blooded
  1. ruthless
  2. icy
  3. stoic
  4. hybrid
  5. merciless
  6. cold
  7. mixed
  8. frigid
Adjective
  • Once the ruthless commander of Bosnian Serb forces, Mladic oversaw the siege of Sarajevo, mass killings and the 1995 Srebrenica massacre that left more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys dead.
    — Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter, like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruthless
Adjective
  • There’s nothing wrong with a great scoop, but sometimes the weather calls for something lighter, icier and a little more unexpected.
    — Lia Picard - For the AJC, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Posing next to co-star Sandra Bullock, the Australian star looked statuesque in a strapless column dress that was completely covered in icy mint sequins, which looked like scales.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of icy
Adjective
  • Blumberg maintained a stoic face but was experiencing a range of emotions.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • All four stars ably play the stoic and sorrowful notes required of them, without finding many secondary or contrasting ones in their dialogue.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of stoic
Adjective
  • Morris’s book focuses only on the representation of real animals; cataloguing mythic and hybrid creatures would take another volume entirely.
    — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Along with Oyewale and Deal, the Horned Frogs return senior defensive tackle Ansel Din-Mbuh and junior stud (hybrid defensive end/linebacker) Zach Chapman.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of hybrid
Adjective
  • In Braun’s script, the merciless obstacle course of singlehood seems just absurd.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Regehr was relentless and merciless, and Oilers fans had to witness it over and over again.
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of merciless
Adjective
  • Loco is known for its casual and rustic atmosphere, barbecue comfort food and cold drinks.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Summer is typically the most expensive time to pick up a lease, with asking prices falling in colder months, according to historical Apartment List data.
    — Mark Dee August 26, Idaho Statesman, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of cold
Adjective
  • Yum reported mixed second-quarter results and said the cyclospora outbreak linked to Taco Bell hit the chain's sales in July, but that trends began to improve.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Open Concepts With more mixed reactions than the other trends, open concepts fill out the top five most controversial design trends.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of mixed
Adjective
  • There are frigid cryotherapy chambers, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and exorbitant supplements.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Then there is Chicago Bears fans, who pack the old, outdated Soldier Field, even in frigid temperatures, to watch a their team, despite years of futility.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of frigid

Browse Nearby Words

cold
cold-blooded
cold-bloodedly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cold-blooded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-blooded. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All