Cold is a feeling that everyone knows well. Whether it’s a chilly breeze on a winter morning or the icy grip of a snowstorm, cold can be a hard thing to explain. That’s where similes come in to help. Similes are comparisons using the words “like” or “as.” They paint clear pictures of what cold feels like by comparing it to things we know.
In this article, we’re going to explore different similes for cold. Each simile helps show exactly how freezing or chilly something can feel. You’ll even get a chance to practice using these similes yourself. By the end, you’ll have lots of new ways to describe the feeling of cold!
Similes for Cold
1. Cold as ice
Meaning: Extremely cold, freezing.
In a Sentence: My hands were as cold as ice after making snowballs all morning.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen solid, Icy to the touch
2. Cold as a winter’s night
Meaning: Very chilly and biting, like a cold night in winter.
In a Sentence: The wind was cold as a winter’s night as we walked home from school.
Other Ways to Say: Frosty, Bone-chilling
3. Cold as a snowman’s smile
Meaning: Playfully describing something very cold.
In a Sentence: My feet were cold as a snowman’s smile after running barefoot outside.
Other Ways to Say: Numb with cold, Frostbitten
4. Cold as a frozen pond
Meaning: Extremely cold and still, like a pond covered in ice.
In a Sentence: The floor felt cold as a frozen pond when I stepped onto it without socks.
Other Ways to Say: Ice-cold, Frozen stiff
5. Cold as the Arctic
Meaning: Freezing cold, like the icy North Pole.
In a Sentence: The classroom was cold as the Arctic because the heater broke down.
Other Ways to Say: Polar cold, Bitterly freezing
6. Cold as a block of ice
Meaning: Hard and cold, just like a block of frozen water.
In a Sentence: Her hands were cold as a block of ice after building a snow fort.
Other Ways to Say: Chilled to the bone, Frosty cold
7. Cold as steel
Meaning: Very cold and hard, like a piece of metal left outside in winter.
In a Sentence: His stare was as cold as steel when he heard the bad news.
Other Ways to Say: Emotionless cold, Piercing cold
8. Cold as a cave in winter
Meaning: Damp and chilly, like a cave when it’s freezing outside.
In a Sentence: The basement felt cold as a cave in winter when we went down to get our decorations.
Other Ways to Say: Damp cold, Bone-deep chill
9. Cold as an icicle
Meaning: Sharply cold, like a pointed icicle hanging from a roof.
In a Sentence: My nose was cold as an icicle after standing outside waiting for the bus.
Other Ways to Say: Sharp cold, Frozen stiff
10. Cold as the dark side of the moon
Meaning: Deep and dangerously cold.
In a Sentence: The tent was cold as the dark side of the moon when we went camping without enough blankets.
Other Ways to Say: Space cold, Deathly cold
11. Cold as marble
Meaning: Smooth but extremely cold, like touching a marble statue.
In a Sentence: The countertop was cold as marble when I leaned against it.
Other Ways to Say: Hard and cold, Stone-cold
12. Cold as a witch’s heart
Meaning: An old saying describing something very cold and without warmth.
In a Sentence: That abandoned house was cold as a witch’s heart on Halloween night.
Other Ways to Say: Bitterly cold, Cruelly cold
13. Cold as the first snow
Meaning: Fresh, crisp cold like the season’s first snowfall.
In a Sentence: The air was cold as the first snow when we stepped outside that morning.
Other Ways to Say: Fresh chill, Crisp cold
14. Cold as the underside of a pillow in winter
Meaning: Quietly cold, like the cool side of a pillow on a winter night.
In a Sentence: My toes were cold as the underside of a pillow in winter when I kicked off my blanket.
Other Ways to Say: Cool and chilly, Light frostiness
15. Cold as frost
Meaning: As cold and crisp as a layer of morning frost.
In a Sentence: The grass felt cold as frost when I walked on it barefoot.
Other Ways to Say: Frosty, Ice-covered
16. Cold as the breath of winter
Meaning: Icy and chilling, just like winter’s breath.
In a Sentence: The wind was cold as the breath of winter as it whipped through the streets.
Other Ways to Say: Wintry chill, Biting cold
17. Cold as a forgotten cup of coffee
Meaning: Unexpectedly cold when something should be warm.
In a Sentence: My tea was cold as a forgotten cup of coffee by the time I remembered to drink it.
Other Ways to Say: Lukewarm to freezing, Neglected cold
18. Cold as the grave
Meaning: Deeply cold and lifeless.
In a Sentence: His handshake was cold as the grave, sending a shiver down my spine.
Other Ways to Say: Deathly cold, Lifeless chill
19. Cold as the ocean’s depths
Meaning: Freezing and endless, like the deep sea.
In a Sentence: The lake felt cold as the ocean’s depths when we jumped in.
Other Ways to Say: Deep cold, Abyssal chill
20. Cold as the tip of a mountain
Meaning: Extremely freezing, like a snow-capped peak.
In a Sentence: The mountaintop air was cold as the tip of a mountain, stealing our breath away.
Other Ways to Say: Summit cold, Piercing chill
21. Cold as midnight in December
Meaning: Icy and sharp, just like a winter night at its coldest.
In a Sentence: The night felt cold as midnight in December, freezing my nose and ears.
Other Ways to Say: December chill, Harsh winter cold
22. Cold as a ghost’s touch
Meaning: Eerily cold, giving you shivers.
In a Sentence: The draft in the old house was cold as a ghost’s touch against my skin.
Other Ways to Say: Spooky chill, Haunting cold
23. Cold as a mountain stream
Meaning: Fresh and cuttingly cold.
In a Sentence: The river water was cold as a mountain stream when I dipped my toes in.
Other Ways to Say: Crisp water cold, Freezing fresh
24. Cold as a polar bear’s nose
Meaning: Playfully and extremely cold.
In a Sentence: My cheeks were cold as a polar bear’s nose when I got inside.
Other Ways to Say: Icy-cold, Nose-nipping cold
25. Cold as a cucumber in the fridge
Meaning: Refreshingly cold, not freezing but noticeably chilled.
In a Sentence: The lemonade was cold as a cucumber in the fridge, perfect for the hot day.
Other Ways to Say: Cool and refreshing, Chilled nicely
26. Cold as forgotten leftovers
Meaning: Chilly, as food left in the fridge for too long.
In a Sentence: The soup was cold as forgotten leftovers when I opened the container.
Other Ways to Say: Stale cold, Refrigerator chill
27. Cold as the morning dew
Meaning: Soft but biting, like dew on a chilly morning.
In a Sentence: The grass was cold as the morning dew when I ran across the yard.
Other Ways to Say: Dewy chill, Fresh morning cold
28. Cold as a metal slide in winter
Meaning: Shockingly cold to the touch.
In a Sentence: The playground slide was cold as a metal slide in winter when I touched it with my hands.
Other Ways to Say: Shocking chill, Freezing metal cold
29. Cold as the inside of a freezer
Meaning: Intensely cold, like standing inside a freezer.
In a Sentence: The air was cold as the inside of a freezer when I opened the door.
Other Ways to Say: Freezer cold, Arctic blast
30. Cold as the back of a spoon in snow
Meaning: Smooth and chilly to the touch.
In a Sentence: The car hood was cold as the back of a spoon in snow early this morning.
Other Ways to Say: Smooth cold, Frost-slick cold
31. Cold as the floor on a January morning
Meaning: Icy cold that shocks you awake.
In a Sentence: The bathroom tiles were cold as the floor on a January morning when I got up.
Other Ways to Say: Bitter morning cold, Wake-up chill
32. Cold as the touch of a snowflake
Meaning: Light and chilly, like when a snowflake lands on your skin.
In a Sentence: Her cheeks were cold as the touch of a snowflake after walking through the snowstorm.
Other Ways to Say: Gentle chill, Snowflake soft cold
33. Cold as a midnight frost
Meaning: Deep and sharply cold, like a frost that forms at night.
In a Sentence: The windows were cold as a midnight frost when I pressed my hand against them.
Other Ways to Say: Frostbitten chill, Icy midnight
34. Cold as an empty fireplace
Meaning: Devoid of warmth, symbolizing both emotional and physical cold.
In a Sentence: The room was cold as an empty fireplace after the last ember burned out.
Other Ways to Say: Lifeless cold, Hollow chill
35. Cold as snow on bare skin
Meaning: Bitingly cold when touching bare skin.
In a Sentence: The snow felt cold as snow on bare skin when it slid down my shirt.
Other Ways to Say: Instant freezing, Skin-shocking cold
36. Cold as the morning after a blizzard
Meaning: Relentlessly cold after a heavy snowfall.
In a Sentence: The air was cold as the morning after a blizzard, thick and unmoving.
Other Ways to Say: Post-storm chill, Blizzard aftermath cold
37. Cold as an old stone wall
Meaning: Steadily and unchangingly cold.
In a Sentence: The castle walls were cold as an old stone wall when we visited.
Other Ways to Say: Timeworn chill, Stone-cold
38. Cold as the mist of a waterfall
Meaning: Wet and chilling.
In a Sentence: The mist was cold as the mist of a waterfall as it sprayed against our faces.
Other Ways to Say: Spray cold, Wet chill
39. Cold as an abandoned attic
Meaning: Quiet, forgotten, and freezing.
In a Sentence: The attic was cold as an abandoned attic when we went up to find the holiday decorations.
Other Ways to Say: Forgotten chill, Creepy cold
40. Cold as the tip of your nose in a blizzard
Meaning: Sharply freezing in one specific place.
In a Sentence: My nose was cold as the tip of your nose in a blizzard after walking home in the storm.
Other Ways to Say: Nose-nipping chill, Blizzard-bitten
41. Cold as a forgotten scarf
Meaning: Cold in a way you don’t notice until too late.
In a Sentence: The backseat was cold as a forgotten scarf left out overnight.
Other Ways to Say: Neglected cold, Forgotten freeze
42. Cold as the shade on a winter afternoon
Meaning: Even colder than expected because of lack of sun.
In a Sentence: The porch was cold as the shade on a winter afternoon when we sat outside.
Other Ways to Say: Shadowy chill, Wintery shade
43. Cold as a snowdrift
Meaning: Thick, heavy, and freezing cold.
In a Sentence: The pile of snow was cold as a snowdrift when we jumped into it.
Other Ways to Say: Deep snow cold, Snow pile chill
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks:
- After waiting for the bus, my fingers were as cold as a _______.
- The old barn felt cold as a _______ on a winter night.
- When we went sledding, my toes got cold as _______ in the snow.
- After stepping on the tile floor, my feet were as cold as a _______.
- That abandoned house was as cold as _______ in December.
- My hands were cold as a _______ after playing outside too long.
- The river water was as cold as _______ in early spring.
- Walking through the snowstorm made my ears cold as a _______.
- After sitting outside, my back felt cold as _______ left in the freezer.
- On that cloudy day, the park was as cold as the _______.
Answers
ice, stone wall, bare feet, marble floor, midnight frost, block of ice, mountain stream, polar bear’s nose, forgotten leftovers, shade in winter
Conclusion
Similes make it so much easier to describe feelings like cold. Whether you feel as cold as a block of ice or as chilly as a midnight frost, similes help bring your experiences to life. Practice using these comparisons and soon you’ll have lots of creative ways to talk about the cold weather around you!
