1
as in chilly
having a low or subnormal temperature
bring a jacket, as it's a little nippy outside
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spicy
having a powerfully stimulating odor or flavor
blue cheese is a little too nippy for my taste
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brisk
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed
racing around the neighborhood on a nippy scooter
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4
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
a nippy wind that chilled parade watchers to the bone
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nippy
This 400-year-old riverside Tudor in Lechlade-on-Thames dials up the British charm with sumptuous, velvet furnishings and a huge stone fireplace to combat the traditionally nippy weather.
—
Shannon Sharpe, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
Despite the nippy wind by the lake, Montrose Beach had a busy Sunday: families gathered on picnic blankets to celebrate Mother’s Day, and seagulls, killdeer and red-winged blackbirds scoured for food among the waves that washed ashore.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
With it, there’s no need to haul up a turtleneck or coat collar in the nippy wind or rain.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025
Friday is when things will get nippy.
—Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for nippy
Shannon Sharpe, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
Despite the nippy wind by the lake, Montrose Beach had a busy Sunday: families gathered on picnic blankets to celebrate Mother’s Day, and seagulls, killdeer and red-winged blackbirds scoured for food among the waves that washed ashore.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
With it, there’s no need to haul up a turtleneck or coat collar in the nippy wind or rain.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025
Friday is when things will get nippy.
—Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for nippy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nippy
Adjective
-
For early spring when the weather still gets chilly, use a set of thicker sheet sets to add the perfect amount of warmth, then pair it with a set of cooling sheets once hotter temperatures arrive later in the season.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Otherwise, Thursday looks blustery and chilly with a mostly cloudy sky.—
Steven Sosna,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Squirrels cannot stand this spicy smell and will steer clear of your garden or home.—
Heather Bien,
The Spruce,
10 Feb. 2026
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Pair it with their signature warm nuts drenched in Tap Roots’ homemade spicy maple syrup, which is destined to put the hot honey craze to shame once word gets out.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Lemon entered his plea during a brisk court appearance on Friday, multiple outlets reported, after he was arrested last month in Los Angeles.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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Although a good portion of this album still sounds like Kurt Vile going through a Sly Stone phase, the kumbaya squishiness of the past few records has hardened into a brisk antagonism.—
Eli Enis,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But even without an arrest, First Amendment advocates say the law has a chilling effect.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
-
As part of the package, the White House is seeking to codify a dangerous government price control precedent into law that will have a chilling effect on medical innovation and patient choice.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Snow and cold conditions have become increasingly unreliable.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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Built for extreme cold Corvus One for Cold Chain uses industrial-grade barcode scanners with precise control over focus and exposure, enabling reliable label capture even when barcodes are frosted, damaged, or low contrast.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The pungent fumes from the foam engulfed the air as activists waded through the toxic water.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Rosemary, Salvia rosmarinus, is a perennial staple in the herb garden with aromatic, pungent needle-like leaves.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Most structural components were 3D-printed in Polylactic Acid (PLA), enabling fast iteration and part replacement throughout the build, highlighting the flexibility of rapid prototyping in robotics development.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
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Retailers claim the digital tags improve efficiency by allowing for rapid, store-wide price updates.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Despite a few especially chill days, temperatures have stayed mostly above normal in the region over the winter months, according to climate data from the National Weather Service Fort Worth.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The service Resort staff is unfailingly friendly yet chill.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nippy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nippy. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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