chilly

chilly — adjective

1. cold enough to make you feel uncomfortable — used especially for weather, indoor

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

cold enough to make you feel uncomfortable — used especially for weather, indoor spaces, or the temperature of wind and water. Cooler than just 'cool' but not as extreme as 'freezing'.

Example

The morning air felt chilly, so Aiko grabbed her coat before leaving.

collocation: feel + chilly

It was a chilly autumn day, and the children wore scarves to school.

Common collocations
  • chilly weather
  • chilly morning / night / day
  • chilly air / wind / breeze
  • feel chilly
  • get chilly
  • turn chilly
  • a bit chilly
  • rather chilly
Synonyms
  • cold

    broader and more general; 'cold' covers a wider temperature range than 'chilly'

  • cool

    less intense than 'chilly'; 'cool' can be pleasant, whereas 'chilly' is often uncomfortable

  • crisp

    fresh and pleasantly cold, usually of air or weather; has a positive connotation

  • nippy

    informal British term for cold in a sharp, biting way

Antonyms
  • warm

    pleasantly high in temperature

  • mild

    not cold; moderate in temperature

Usage Note

Frequently modifies weather nouns (morning, day, wind, air) and room descriptors. Can also describe a person's physical sensation of feeling cold, typically in 'feel chilly' or 'get chilly'.

Common Mistakes

The soup tastes chilly.
The soup is cold.
'chilly' is used for weather, air, or rooms, not for food or drinks.
I am chilly today' (to mean having a fever).
I feel chilly because I forgot my jacket.
'chilly' describes a mild sensation of cold from the environment, not illness.

2. showing a lack of warmth or friendliness in the way you behave toward other peop

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing a lack of warmth or friendliness in the way you behave toward other people — for example, a look, a tone of voice, a welcome, or the general mood in a room.

Example

The manager gave Leila a chilly look when she asked for a day off.

collocation: chilly look

Priya received a chilly welcome from her new classmates on the first day.

collocation: chilly welcome

Common collocations
  • chilly look / stare
  • chilly welcome / reception
  • chilly response / reply
  • chilly tone / voice
  • chilly atmosphere
  • turn chilly
Synonyms
  • cold

    broader and more common; can describe both temperature and unfriendliness

  • cool

    less intense; suggests polite distance rather than open unfriendliness

  • frosty

    stronger than 'chilly'; suggests icy silence or deliberate coldness

  • distant

    focuses on emotional remoteness rather than a specific unfriendly action

Antonyms
  • warm

    friendly and kind in manner

  • welcoming

    showing warmth and openness to others

Usage Note

Typically collocates with nouns describing reception, atmosphere, or expression (welcome, look, tone, response, atmosphere) rather than describing a person's fixed personality type. 'A chilly person' is possible but far less common than 'a chilly reception'.

Common Mistakes

My teacher is a chilly woman.
My teacher gave me a chilly look when I was late.
'chilly' more naturally describes a specific reaction or atmosphere than a person's character.
He felt chilly about the idea.
His response to the idea was chilly.
use 'chilly' for the outward reaction, not the inner feeling of disapproval.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five describe low temperatures but differ in degree and connotation. 'Cool' (B1) is the mildest — pleasant or refreshing, never uncomfortable. 'Chilly' (C1) goes a step further: the cold is noticeable and slightly uncomfortable, but not severe. 'Cold' (A1) is the broadest term, covering everything from a cool drink to extreme weather. 'Crisp' (B2) is a positive, often seasonal word for fresh, invigorating cold air, especially in autumn or winter. 'Freezing' (A2) is the strongest — painfully cold, below the freezing point of water. For example, a spring morning may be cool; an autumn evening feels chilly; a winter night in Canada can be freezing.

chilly ↗cold ↗cool ↗crispfreezing ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'chilly' comes from 'chill' (meaning coldness), which traces back to Old English 'ciele' (cold) via Middle English 'chile'. The '-y' suffix turns the noun into an adjective meaning 'having the quality of chill'. The figurative sense of 'unfriendly' developed in the 1800s, extending the idea of physical coldness to emotional distance.