as in detachment
the absence of emotional involvement
her clinical coldness allows her to function in a job where she sees human misery every day
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Recent Examples of coldness
Large roof windows maximize natural light, and the interior decor makes use of coated plywood and glass to offset the coldness of the concrete.
—
New Atlas, 12 Dec. 2025
However, colors can also pull out negative emotions in people, such as defiance (red), coldness (blue), fear (yellow), and boredom (green).
—Daniel Fusch, Ascend Agency, 11 Nov. 2025
Their works push back against the coldness of technology, asserting presence, autonomy, and creative resistance.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
Thematically, this episode is awash in the color blue itself, which many fans interpret as symbolizing coldness and detachment from the music industry.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
When not in the heavy stage makeup that blurs the lines between Kikuo and Shunsuke, there is a slight coldness to his affect, especially compared to Yokohama’s more extroverted performance, which constantly calls into question the sincerity of his sentiments.
—Ryan Swen, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
Birkin adored the baby but was tortured by her husband’s coldness.
—Anahid Nersessian, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
But to the other, this is often construed as coldness or indifference.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Even when the glassy lakes thaw back into water, there’s this coldness that lingers.
—Leila Chatti
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coldness
detachment
Noun
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The woman reflected on her husband’s emotional detachment, explaining that his father had been abusive and that his death had brought relief rather than grief.—
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Bébé’s rejection of her child and her emotional detachment are a common response, according to doctors, who describe not just a disconnect by rape survivors to their children but even efforts by some women to harm babies born of the attacks.—
Cite this Entry
“Coldness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coldness. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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