chilly

adjective

ˈchi-lē 

chillier; chilliest

1

: noticeably cold : chilling

a chilly day

2

: unpleasantly affected by cold

chilly spectators

3

: lacking warmth of feeling : unfriendly

a chilly reception

4

: tending to arouse fear or apprehension

chilly suspicions

chillily

ˈchi-lə-lē 

adverb

chilliness

ˈchi-lē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• bitter
• bleak
• chill
• chilling
• nipping
• nippy
• raw
• sharp

Examples of chilly in a Sentence

It's a little chilly outside.

You must be chilly without a coat on.

They gave him a chilly reception.

Recent Examples on the Web

The story had begun almost a decade earlier when, one chilly winter's day in 1946, Prince Max von Hohenlohe fired up his charcoal-burning Rolls-Royce Phantom and drove south from a 90-room palace just outside Madrid. —Nick Foulkes, theweek, 7 Nov. 2024

Erik Kain My November cold continues into another chilly, though somewhat less wintry, day. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

New bowls for chilly season include osso bucco ravioli, tortellini in brodo, and cheesy baked polenta with mushroom ragu. —Anna Spiegel, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024

The endangered turtle was hypothermic and lethargic, stunned by the chilly waters of Pedder Bay. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

chilly

adjective

ˈchil-ē 

chillier; chilliest

1

: noticeably cold

2

: unpleasantly affected by cold

3

: not friendly

a chilly response

chilliness noun