frosty
gb/fɹˈɔsti/ us/fɹˈɔsti/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
very cold; wintry
very cold
Usage pattern:
a frosty [morning/night/day]
Common mistake:
Don’t use it for simply ‘cool’ weather; it suggests freezing cold.
Synonyms
freezing (often stronger and more direct.)
|
icy (emphasizes extreme cold or ice.)
Antonyms
warm (not cold.)
|
mild (not very cold (weather).)
Collocations
frosty morning
|frosty night
|frosty air
|frosty weather
|a frosty wind
|frosty temperatures
|a frosty start
|frosty conditions
Themes
weather
|daily_life
Examples
- It was a frosty morning, and the car windows had iced over.
- We went for a walk in the frosty air.
- After a frosty night, the roads were slippery.
Learner examples
- It is frosty today.
- We had a frosty morning.
adjective
B2
property
2
unfriendly; cold in manner
not friendly; acting cold
Usage pattern:
a frosty [look/tone/response]; be frosty toward [someone]
Common mistake:
This meaning describes behavior, not temperature; avoid using it when you only mean ‘shy’ or ‘quiet.’
Synonyms
cold (more general and common.)
|
distant (suggests emotional separation rather than rudeness.)
Antonyms
warm (friendly and kind.)
|
welcoming (openly friendly to someone.)
Collocations
frosty reception
|frosty silence
|frosty tone
|frosty response
|frosty look
|frosty glare
|a frosty relationship
|a frosty atmosphere
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|communication
Examples
- She gave him a frosty smile and walked away.
- His frosty tone made it clear the meeting was going badly.
- After the argument, their conversations stayed frosty for weeks.
Learner examples
- He was frosty with me.
- She gave a frosty reply.
adjective
B1
property
3
covered with frost
with frost on it
Usage pattern:
frosty [grass/windows/ground/leaves]
Common mistake:
Not the same as ‘frozen solid’; it often means a light surface layer.
Synonyms
frost-covered (more explicit and literal.)
|
rimy (more literary/less common.)
Antonyms
clear (without frost or ice on the surface.)
Collocations
frosty grass
|frosty ground
|frosty window
|frosty windshield
|frosty leaves
|frosty rooftops
Themes
weather
|nature
|daily_life
Examples
- The fields looked beautiful, with frosty grass sparkling in the sun.
- I had to scrape the frosty windshield before driving.
- They stepped carefully over the frosty ground.
Learner examples
- The windows are frosty.
- The grass is frosty.
adjective
B2
property
4
well chilled; ice-cold
very cold (for a drink or food)
Usage pattern:
a frosty [drink/beer/glass]
Common mistake:
In this sense it is often positive (refreshing), unlike the ‘unfriendly’ meaning.
Synonyms
ice-cold (more direct; often hyphenated.)
|
chilled (usually a bit less extreme.)
Antonyms
warm (not cold (for drinks/food).)
|
hot (heated.)
Collocations
frosty beer
|frosty drink
|frosty glass
|frosty mug
|frosty bottle
|frosty lemonade
Themes
food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- He pulled a frosty beer from the cooler.
- On a hot day, a frosty glass of water tastes amazing.
- The restaurant served the cocktail in a frosty glass.
Learner examples
- I want a frosty drink.
- The beer is frosty.
adjective
C1
property
5
pale or whitish, like frost
a pale white or light color
Usage pattern:
frosty [hair/white/blue/gray]
Common mistake:
This is about color/appearance, not temperature.
Synonyms
silvery (often brighter or shinier.)
|
pale (more general and less specific.)
Antonyms
vivid (strong, bright color.)
|
dark (not pale or light.)
Collocations
frosty white
|frosty blue
|frosty gray
|frosty hair
|a frosty sheen
|a frosty glow
Themes
appearance
|art_design
Examples
- In the winter light, her hair looked frosty and silver.
- The designer chose a frosty white paint for the walls.
- A frosty blue light filled the room.
Learner examples
- The color is frosty white.
Grammar
Dictionary form
frosty
IPA
GB/fɹˈɔsti/
US/fɹˈɔsti/
Syllables & stress
frosty (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (frosty)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: frosty
- Comparative: frostier
- Superlative: frostiest
Word family
Expressions
a frosty reception
1/ə fɹˈɔsti ɹɪsˈɛpʃən/
fixed phrase
an unfriendly welcome
an unfriendly welcome
Examples
- His suggestion got a frosty reception from the committee.
- When she returned to the office, she received a frosty reception.
- The new policy met with a frosty reception from staff.
give [someone] a frosty look
1/ɡˈɪv sˈʌmwˌʌn ə fɹˈɔsti lˈʊk/
fixed phrase
look at someone coldly
look at someone in an unfriendly way
Examples
- She gave him a frosty look when he interrupted her.
- He joked about it, but she gave him a frosty look.
- The manager gave me a frosty look and said nothing.
keep it frosty
1/kˈip ˈɪt fɹˈɔsti/
idiom
slang
stay alert and ready
stay calm and ready
Examples
- We’re almost there—keep it frosty and watch for anything unusual.
- The coach told the team to keep it frosty in the final minutes.
- Keep it frosty out there; the roads are unpredictable.