chillier; chilliest
Synonyms of chillynext
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.
The nights grew so chilly that Djena would go to a public rest room and use a hand dryer to warm herself. Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 After a chilly start to May, the weather pattern is finally about to flip to summer for much of the Midwest and Northeast over the next few days, forecasters said. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 16 May 2026 This could come as something of a shock to people who have been shivering under sweaters and blankets during an unusually chilly spring. Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 15 May 2026 Mixing textures on indoor-outdoor furniture and a rolling bar cart makes this porch suited for any time of the year, including those chilly autumn nights when living in the mountains is so magical. Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for chilly

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chilly was in 1567

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chilly. Accessed 19 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

chilly

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

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