When describing extreme cold temperatures, words like chilly or freezing simply do not suffice. It’s easy to resort to clichéd phrases such as “bitter chill,” but why not be creative?
Here are some interesting adjective words that can help you accurately and more colorfully describe cold weather conditions — whether you’re writing an article, talking to friends, or just trying to find the right way to express yourself!
20 Adjectives for Cold
| Frigid | Glacial | Arctic |
| Biting | Gelid | Frosty |
| Icy | Freezing | Chilly |
| Nippy | Alpine | Polar |
| Wintry | Wintry | Arctic |
| Siberian | Subzero | Alpine |
| Cryogenic | Gelid |
Words To Describe Cold
1- Frigid: extremely cold
The frigid wind made it difficult for us to leave the house.
2- Glacial: intensely cold
The glacial temperatures meant that we had to wear many layers of clothing.
3- Arctic: polar or near-frozen temperatures
It was an arctic night and the stars shone brightly in the sky.
4- Biting: sharp or piercingly cold
The biting cold air made my nose turn red.
5- Gelid: icy or frosty
Everything was covered in a layer of gelid frost.
6- Frosty: covered with frost
His voice was as frosty as the winter night.
7- Icy: extremely cold and hard to the touch
We had to be careful not to slip on the icy pavement.
8- Freezing: very cold and close to freezing
It was so freezing that I could see my breath in front of me.
9- Chilly: moderately cold
It started to get chilly so we decided to go in.
10- Nippy: chilly or sharp air
The nippy wind made everyone stay inside.
11- Alpine: of or related to the high mountains
We went for a hike in the alpine mountains.
12- Polar: extremely cold climate
The polar bears were huddled together for warmth.
13- Wintry: resembling winter conditions
It was a wintry day and the snow was falling fast.
14- Arctic: located in or near the North Pole
We were in the arctic circle and it was colder than we had expected.
15- Siberian: extremely cold and inhospitable environment
We were traveling through Siberia and it was incredibly cold.
16- Subzero: temperature below 0 °C
The temperature dropped to subzero during the night.
17- Alpine: snow-covered mountains
As we climbed higher in altitude, the alpine terrain became more treacherous.
18- Cryogenic: freezing to a very low temperature
The scientists used cryogenic techniques to freeze the sample.
19- Gelid: intensely cold to the touch
The ground was so gelid that I could feel it through my boots.
20- Fulgurant: of or giving off flashes of light.
The Northern Lights were fulgurant in the night sky.
Related: Adjectives Starting With C
Synonyms of Cold
1- Chilly
2- Frigid
3- Freezing
4- Frosty
5- Glacial
6- Gelid
7- Arctic
8- Biting
9- Numbing
10- Polar
11- Bracing
12- Hailstone
13- Siberian
14- Refrigerated
15- Snowy
16- Subzero
17- Gelid
18- Intensely cold
19- Wintry
20- Ice Age
