1
a
: to become congealed into ice by cold
b
: to solidify as a result of abstraction of heat
The results are put in a freezer for a further two days until the oil freezes on the top and can be lifted off.—Peter Neville-Hadley
c
: to withstand freezing
The bread freezes well.
2
: to become chilled with cold
almost froze to death
3
: to adhere solidly by or as if by freezing
Pressure caused the metals to freeze.
The wheel bearing froze.
4
a
: to become fixed or motionless
especially
: to become incapable of acting or speaking
froze in front of the crowd
b
: to stop working
The computer just froze.
5
: to become clogged with ice
The water pipes froze
1
: to harden into a solid (such as ice) by cold
Let's say it is a regular 5 or 6% alcohol beer and it was left outside at 25 degrees. That's enough to freeze the water in there, but not enough to freeze the alcohol.—Jeff Bonner, quoted in, Morning Call
2
: to make extremely cold : chill
The cold wind froze their cheeks.
3
a
: to act on usually destructively by frost
Unseasonable cold froze the flowers.
b
: to anesthetize by cold
4
: to cause to grip tightly or remain in immovable contact
5
a
: to cause to become fixed, immovable, unavailable, or unalterable
freeze interest rates
b
: to immobilize by governmental regulation the expenditure, withdrawal, or exchange of
freeze foreign assets
c
: to render motionless
a fake froze the defender
6
: to attempt to retain continuous possession of (a ball or puck) without an attempt to score usually in order to protect a small lead
1
a
: an act or instance of freezing
b
: the state of being frozen
2
: a state of weather marked by low temperature especially when below the freezing point
3
: a halt in the production, testing, and deployment of military weapons
a nuclear freeze
Cite this Entry
“Freeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freeze. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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