: gravely disturbing or frightening
a chilling case of abuse
chilling
2 of 2present participle of chill entry 3
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
Claudia Sahm, Mercury News, 29 July 2025
One of the most significant impacts of hateful expressions, including the graffiti in Hyde Park and the mural defacement in Pilsen, is its chilling effect on the rest of a community, Mello said.
—William Tong, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2025
Valdes’ family friend, who was in the car when gunfire rang out and has chosen to remain anonymous, vividly remembers the chilling moments leading up to her death.
—Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 24 July 2025
Appearing Monday on Fox News’ America Reports, Concha rebuffed critics, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who framed the show’s cancellation as a First Amendment issue or a chilling effect on free speech.
—Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for chilling
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
Mass deportations and tighter immigration controls could also have a chilling effect on authorized immigration, including workers and students in STEM fields, which could slow the development of new technologies.
—Claudia Sahm, Mercury News, 29 July 2025
One of the most significant impacts of hateful expressions, including the graffiti in Hyde Park and the mural defacement in Pilsen, is its chilling effect on the rest of a community, Mello said.
—William Tong, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2025
Valdes’ family friend, who was in the car when gunfire rang out and has chosen to remain anonymous, vividly remembers the chilling moments leading up to her death.
—Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 24 July 2025
Appearing Monday on Fox News’ America Reports, Concha rebuffed critics, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who framed the show’s cancellation as a First Amendment issue or a chilling effect on free speech.
—Heather Hunter, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for chilling
Cite this Entry
“Chilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chilling. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chilling
adjective
chill·ing
ˈchil-iŋ 
: very disturbing or frightening
a chilling case of abuse
chillingly
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share