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.
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 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

Dictionary Entries Near chilly

Cite this Entry

“Chilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chilly. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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
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