chillingchil‧ling /ˈtʃɪlɪŋ/ adjective 
Examples
the chilling sound of wolves howling► see thesaurus at frightening—chillingly adverb: It was chillingly clear that he wanted revenge.
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- a chilling reminder of the war
- The captain's message ended with the chilling words: ""Mission completed. All prisoners disposed of.''
- The case is a chilling reminder of how ordinary, seemingly respectable citizens still have racist and deeply intolerant views.
- The lawyer gave a chilling demonstration of how the accused used a towel to suffocate his victim.
- Today's arrests should send a chilling message to anyone involved in insurance fraud.
- For once there was not that exhilarating, sometimes chilling clarity.
- Gradually Jack realized he could never penetrate the chilling force-field that lay between him and the two men.
- His description of how he watched helplessly as one of the deadly missiles thundered towards him makes chilling reading.
- Outside the door she paused, breathing the chill and chilling air.
- She would even have preferred more of his contemptuous accusations to this present chilling remoteness.
- The chilling thought struck Sabine to the bone.
- These fossil-like impressions of flesh-forms convey a chilling vulnerability not shared but enhanced by the metal material which they now permanently impress.
THESAURUS► frightening
Collocations making you feel frightened: · Being held at gunpoint had been the most frightening moment of his life.· The experience was very frightening.
► scary especially spoken frightening. Scary is less formal than frightening and is very common in everyday English: · The movie was really scary.· There were some scary moments.
► chilling frightening, especially because violence, cruelty, or danger is involved: · a chilling tale of revenge, murder and madness· The court heard chilling details about the attack.
► spooky frightening and strange, especially because something involves ghosts or powers that people do not understand: · The forest is really spooky in the dark.· a spooky coincidence· spooky stories
► creepy informal frightening in a way that makes you feel nervous, especially when you are not sure exactly why – used especially about places, people, and feelings: · This place is really creepy. Let’s get out of here.· a creepy guy· Do you know that creepy feeling when you're sure someone’s there but you can’t see or hear anything?
► eerie especially literary strange and frightening: · There was an eerie silence immediately after the bomb went off.· an eerie light· an eerie feeling
► intimidating making you feel frightened, nervous, or lacking in confidence: · Big schools can be an intimidating place for young children.· Giving evidence in court is often a rather intimidating experience.· the intimidating presence of a large number of soldiers
► menacing frightening because you think someone is going to hurt you, even though they have not said or done anything violent – used especially about someone’s expression or voice: · The woman had a very menacing look.· ‘I’d like to have a word with you outside,’ he said in a menacing tone.
very frightening► terrifying extremely frightening: · a terrifying thought· The experience was absolutely terrifying.· She spoke of the terrifying ordeal (=a very bad experience) when three armed men burst into her house.
► hair-raising very frightening and involving danger, in a way that is exciting: · hair-raising stories· a hair-raising motorcycle ride through the streets of Havana
► spine-chilling very frightening – used about films, stories etc that involve frightening or cruel events: · a spine-chilling novel by Stephen King
► blood-curdling especially literary [only before noun] very frightening – used especially about sounds: · a blood-curdling scream· a blood-curdling growl
Longman Language Activatormaking you feel frightened► frightening making you feel frightened: · Driving in big cities can be pretty frightening for many people.it's frightening: · There are so many people with guns these days, it's really frightening.it is frightening to do something: · It's frightening to think that something like this can happen in America today.a frightening experience/thought/prospect: · It was the most frightening experience of my life.· After so many years, going back to college and studying was a frightening prospect.
► terrifying very frightening: · They stopped me, and I saw that they had a gun. It was terrifying.· I opened my eyes, and tried to banish the terrifying images of the plane falling from the sky, and crashing into the sea.a terrifying scream/crash/sound etc: · There was a terrifying crash, and the house seemed to shake.a terrifying experience/ordeal/thought: · It had been a terrifying ordeal, but now, at last, he was free.
► scary especially spoken frightening - use this especially about stories, films, or situations in which strange or frightening things happen: · She didn't like the film. It was too scary for her.· I had a really scary dream last night.it's scary: · I don't regret my decision to start a new life, in a new country. It's scary, but it's also really exciting.· a big scary monster
► spooky a place or story that is spooky is frightening, especially because it is dark, strange etc: · The forest is really spooky in the dark.· Will you shut up about ghosts! You always scare me with that spooky talk!· I remembered that spooky feeling of being alone in the woods, and feeling that you are being watched by supernatural eyes.· We sat around the fire and told spooky tales.
► creepy a creepy feeling or place is one that is strange and makes you feel nervous and frightened, especially because you think that someone or something frightening might be there: · The house looked OK from the outside but inside it was all dark and creepy.· This place is really creepy. Let's get out of here.· I got a real creepy feeling on the way over there, as if someone was watching me.
► chilling a fact, statement or experience that is chilling , makes you feel frightened or shocked, because it is extremely cruel, violent, dangerous etc: · The lawyer gave a chilling demonstration of how the accused used a towel to suffocate his victim.· The captain's message ended with the chilling words: "Mission completed. All prisoners disposed of.''· The case is a chilling reminder of how ordinary, seemingly respectable citizens still have racist and deeply intolerant views.
► hair-raising an experience that is hair-raising is frightening because it is very dangerous: · We ended up making a hair-raising 200-kilometre night drive to the border.· After various hair-raising adventures in Afghanistan, Newcombe settled in Northern India.hair-raising tale/story : · Jenny had lots of adventures, travelling all over the world and always coming home with hair-raising stories.
► spine-chilling something such as a story, film, or statement that is spine-chilling is frightening because it clearly describes or shows frightening or evil events: · The collection includes a spine-chilling ghost story by Edgar Allan Poe.· The only journalist to witness the rebellion gave a spine-chilling account of atrocities carried out by both sides.
► blood-curdling: blood-curdling scream/howl/roar etc very frightening or made by someone who is extremely frightened: · Mary went upstairs to look for Dean and seconds later I heard a blood-curdling scream.· the blood-curdling howls of the wolves in the forest
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► a grim/sobering/chilling reminder
something that is chilling makes you feel frightened, especially because it is cruel, violent, or dangerous: (=making you feel serious and worried or frightened)· They passed the armed guard, a grim reminder of the ever-present threat of terrorism.
the chilling sound of wolves howling► see thesaurus at frightening—chillingly adverb: It was chillingly clear that he wanted revenge.