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icily

icily

1 5.7
In a cold, unfriendly way that shows no feeling
  • adverb
  • /ˈaɪsɪli/
translation icon : fríamente
  • "Tony gave all the money back, though, didn't he?" she asked icily.
  • said icily
  • replied icily
  • asked icily

Isabel looks straight at me and very icily says quote for your own good.

Examples

  • "She's very efficient, isn't she?" Myrna said icily as they ate.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • When he spoke, his voice was icily cordial.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • "I see," he said icily as he looked at her with fresh distance.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The men regarded each other icily as the major spoke.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • For three days, the Kittredges had been icily polite to her.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • "I'll take care of my own baby, thank you very much," Mindy said icily.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • "We have all had a hand in it," Himmler replied icily.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The next morning, Patty Kay was icily cold to Selwyn.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • "What's it to you?" asked Jeremy icily, as he groped in the fridge for the milk.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • "I see," he said icily as he looked at her with fresh distance.

Synonyms

coldly
vsicily
30 4.0

In a way that shows little feeling or kindness to other people

is even more sharply cold and emotionally distant
unkindly
vsicily
4 4.4

To act in a harsh or mean way that hurts others

is colder and less about deliberate meanness than about distance
gruffly
vsicily
3 6.3

Talk in a rough, unfriendly way

is colder in feeling rather than only abrupt in manner
bloodedly
vsicily
1 9.9

In a cold way that shows no care for other people's feelings

is equally emotionless but more socially unfriendly in tone
stonily
vsicily
1 8.0

In a cold, unfriendly way that shows no feeling

is more openly unfriendly rather than merely expressionless
stolidly
vsicily
1 8.4

Without showing much feeling or reaction

is colder and more actively unfriendly rather than just neutral
ungraciously
vsicily
1 7.1

In a rude or unfriendly way

is colder in feeling rather than merely lacking manners
frostily
vsicily
1 6.5

To behave in a cold, unfriendly way

is colder and more emotionally detached than that
frigidly
vsicily
1 6.8

In a cold, unfriendly way that shows no feeling

is colder in tone and more unfriendly than that
churlishly
vsicily
  • Formal
1 9.5

In a rude or unfriendly way

is colder and more emotionally indifferent than rude behavior
1 6.6

Without showing care for someone's feelings

is colder overall, focusing on emotional distance rather than lack of pity
glassily
vsicily
7.7

In a cold way that shows no feeling

is similarly cold but more clearly unfriendly or harsh
freezingly
vsicily
7.3

In a very unfriendly way that shows no warmth

is more about emotional coldness than extreme chilliness
flintily
vsicily
9.9

Someone speaks or acts in a hard, cold way that shows no sympathy

is similarly harsh but more about cold lack of feeling
aseptically
vsicily
8.6

In a cold, clinical way that shows no feeling

is colder in social warmth and more openly unfriendly
inhospitably
vsicily
7.9

In an unfriendly way that does not welcome visitors

is colder and more emotionally distant than mere unwelcomeness
7.7

In a way that shows little warmth or care

is colder in attitude and less about simple lack of fondness
surlily
vsicily
9.9

In a rude, unfriendly way

is colder and more emotionally distant than blunt rudeness
unfondly
vsicily
8.4

In a way that shows you do not like something

is colder and more emotionally distant than simple dislike

Antonyms

39 1.0

In a kind, friendly, and enthusiastic way

Act in a loving, gentle way that shows you care

Compounds

Very low in temperature and clearly unfriendly

How Cold

icily
1 5.7
frostily
1 6.5
coldly
30 4.0
coolly
19 4.3

Surface Forms

icily positive

Morphology

icily = icy (transparent) = ice + y + ly

Formed by adding the productive adverbial suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'icy', yielding a predictable adverb meaning 'in an icy manner'.

Etymology

The word icily comes from icy, which comes from ice meaning 'frozen water', and the ending -ly meaning 'in a way'. So to act icily is to behave 'in a cold or unfriendly way'.