Cool MateAs cold as they come vs Chilly vs Cool
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
As cold as they come
Chilly
Cool
| As cold as they come | Chilly | Cool | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //æz koʊld æz ðeɪ kʌm//🇺🇸 //æz koʊld æz ðeɪ kʌm// | 🇬🇧 //ˈtʃɪli//🇺🇸 //ˈtʃɪli// | 🇬🇧 /["/kuːl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kuːl/"]/ |
| Meaning | Very cold or unfriendly. | A word to describe very cool or cold weather. | Something that is good or impressive. |
| Example | The winter night was as cold as they come, making it hard to stay outside. | It was a chilly morning, and I needed my coat. | The weather is really cool today. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | ||
| Collocations | as cold as ice, as cold as the Arctic, as cold as the North Pole | chilly weather, chilly breeze, chilly night | be, feel, look, very, a little, slightly, be, look, sound, extremely, fairly, very, be, look, sound, extremely, fairly, very, appear, be, look, very, pretty, about, with, cool, calm and collected, act, appear, be, distinctly, very, rather, about, towards/toward, appear, be, look, very, pretty, about, with, cool, calm and collected |
| Antonyms | - | warm, hot, toasty | uncool, boring, uninteresting |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'as cold as ice' - both mean cold, but context might differ., Used incorrectly when describing mild weather., Misused to describe someone who is just slightly unfriendly. | Confused with 'cool' – 'chilly' is colder than 'cool'., Using 'chilly' to describe things other than temperature, like emotions., Incorrectly capitalizing 'Chilly' when describing the weather. | Using 'cool' to describe temperatures or weather instead of mood or style., Confusing 'cool' with 'great' in contexts where a specific feeling is implied., Overusing 'cool' in formal or academic situations where more precise vocabulary is needed. |
| Usage notes | Use this phrase informally to describe something or someone extremely cold in behavior or temperature. Avoid in formal writing. | Use 'chilly' to describe uncomfortable coolness, often related to weather. It is polite and suitable in most contexts, but not used for extreme cold. | Use 'cool' to describe things that are stylish or admirable. It's very informal, so avoid it in formal writing or conversations. Can imply calmness in some contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: As cold as they come vs Chilly vs Cool
What's the difference between As cold as they come, Chilly, and Cool?
As cold as they come: Very cold or unfriendly. Chilly: A word to describe very cool or cold weather. Cool: Something that is good or impressive.
Which is more formal: As cold as they come, Chilly, and Cool?
Chilly is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: As cold as they come, Chilly, and Cool?
Cool is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
As cold as they come: The winter night was as cold as they come, making it hard to stay outside. Chilly: It was a chilly morning, and I needed my coat. Cool: The weather is really cool today.
Can I use As cold as they come, Chilly, and Cool interchangeably?
Not always. As cold as they come, Chilly, and Cool are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.