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 adverb
chilliness noun

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
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.
Mornings can be chilly, afternoons can be warm, and cave tours can be downright cold. Emily Price, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025 This setup tends to prevent the normal west-to-east movement of weather systems and tends to lock in chilly, unsettled conditions in some areas, while other locations have an extended period of dry and warm conditions, AccuWeather said. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 May 2025 The poll also found chilly feelings toward DOGE’s cuts to the federal government among Peach State voters. Tara Suter, The Hill, 6 May 2025 The usual dull gray-brown of the seafloor was capped by tendrils of inky rock that glimmered with an abundance of glass — the result of rapid quenching when lava hits chilly water. Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for chilly

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chilly was in 1570

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chilly. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

chilly

adjective
chillier; chilliest
1
: noticeably cold
2
: unpleasantly affected by cold
3
: not friendly
a chilly response
chilliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on chilly

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!