chilling

1 of 2

adjective

chill·​ing ˈchi-liŋ How to pronounce chilling (audio)
Synonyms of chillingnext
: gravely disturbing or frightening
a chilling case of abuse
chillingly
ˈchi-liŋ-lē How to pronounce chilling (audio)
adverb

chilling

2 of 2

present participle of chill entry 3

Synonyms of chilling

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of chilling in a Sentence

Adjective a Southern visitor who was unused to the chilling air of a Northeast winter
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.
Adjective
The exhibit's visitors can get a chilling feel for the time, with full scale recreations of the annex rooms where Anne and her family hid from the Nazis. — Marie Saavedra, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026 How to Pack a Cooler for Longer-Lasting Ice Start by pre-chilling the cooler and all the food and drinks before packing them. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 30 July 2026 Lambert also confirmed the chilling effect described by industry insiders extends beyond the letter of the law. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 July 2026 Lawsuits in which aggrieved families sue funeral directors over subpar restorations can also have a chilling effect. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for chilling

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chilling was in 1815

Phrases Containing chilling

Rhymes for chilling

See All Rhymes for chilling

Browse Nearby Words

chilliness
chilling
Chilliwack
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chilling. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

chilling

adjective
chill·​ing ˈchil-iŋ How to pronounce chilling (audio)
: very disturbing or frightening
a chilling case of abuse
chillingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on chilling

Nglish: Translation of chilling for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chilling

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

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

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

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

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
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All