freeze
1 of 2verb
ˈfrēz 
froze ˈfrōz ; frozen ˈfrō-zᵊn ; freezing
; frozen ˈfrō-zᵊn ; freezing intransitive verb
1
a
: to become congealed into ice by cold
b
: to solidify as a result of abstraction of heat
c
: to withstand freezing
the bread freezes well
2
: to become chilled with cold
almost froze to death
3
: to adhere solidly by or as if by freezing
pressure caused the metals to freeze
4
: to become fixed or motionless
especially : to become incapable of acting or speaking
5
: to become clogged with ice
the water pipes froze
transitive verb
1
a
: to harden into ice
b
: to convert from a liquid to a solid by cold
2
: to make extremely cold : chill
3
a
: to act on usually destructively by frost
b
: to anesthetize by cold
4
: to cause to grip tightly or remain in immovable contact
5
a
: to cause to become fixed, immovable, unavailable, or unalterable
freeze interest rates
b
: to immobilize by governmental regulation the expenditure, withdrawal, or exchange of
freeze foreign assets
c
: to render motionless
a fake froze the defender
6
: to attempt to retain continuous possession of (a ball or puck) without an attempt to score usually in order to protect a small lead
freeze
2 of 2noun
1
a
: an act or instance of freezing
b
: the state of being frozen
2
: a state of weather marked by low temperature especially when below the freezing point
3
: a halt in the production, testing, and deployment of military weapons
a nuclear freeze
Synonyms
Verb
- concrete
- congeal
- firm (up)
- harden
- indurate
- set
- solidify
Noun
- cold
- cold wave
- deep freeze
- snap
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb The children are going to freeze out there without their coats. The cold weather froze the water pipes. Noun The freeze destroyed many oranges. the Midwest will experience an intense freeze later in the week
Recent Examples on the Web
Eliza Mackintosh, CNN, 27 July 2022 The creditors are seeking to freeze Three Arrows’ assets. Sam Reynolds, Fortune, 11 July 2022 In Washington, supporters say the Enablers Act will help U.S. law enforcement better identify and freeze assets held by oligarchs sanctioned in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Will Fitzgibbon, Washington Post, 23 June 2022 And while some recent events might chip away at the dollar’s dominance—i.e. Western moves to freeze Russian reserve assets—others could help cement it further. Nathaniel Taplin, WSJ, 5 May 2022 International sanctions have already enabled countries to seize or freeze Russian assets, which could be used to pay off outstanding debts. Matthew Digiuseppe, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2022 The law, passed in 2012 and expanded in 2016, authorizes the U.S. government to impose sanctions on human rights abusers, freeze their assets and ban them from entering the country. Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2022 And on Monday, Switzerland broke from its tradition of neutrality by joining to freeze the assets of Putin, Russia’s prime minister and foreign minister, as well as scores of individuals targeted last week by the EU. Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2022 The article also notes that the frogs do not freeze completely solid, but two-thirds of the water in their body does turn to ice. Kate S. Petersen, USA TODAY, 29 July 2022 Jennifer Williams-alvarez, WSJ, 12 July 2022 But the nearly universal response to this sort of violation is to first freeze – and then to create distance (a smart protective move). Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 29 June 2022 But the nearly universal response to this sort of violation is to first freeze — and then to create distance (a smart protective move). Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 29 June 2022 But the nearly universal response to this sort of violation is to first freeze – and then to create distance (a smart protective move). Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2022 So a complete freeze of Russian imports would certainly squeeze Russia. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 22 Mar. 2022 For now, the freeze has helped drive Medicaid enrollment to a record 88 million people, an increase of 17 million from February 2020, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. David Wainer, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 The payment freeze will be extended one last time, until Dec. 31. Cora Lewis And Adriana Morga, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2022 The freeze started in 2020 as a way to help people struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s been extended several times since. The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 See More
Verb
Allegations of trafficking activities in Liberia prompted US authorities to freeze his American assets in 2004 and blocked any US transactions. Eliza Mackintosh, CNN, 27 July 2022 The creditors are seeking to freeze Three Arrows’ assets. Sam Reynolds, Fortune, 11 July 2022 In Washington, supporters say the Enablers Act will help U.S. law enforcement better identify and freeze assets held by oligarchs sanctioned in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Will Fitzgibbon, Washington Post, 23 June 2022 And while some recent events might chip away at the dollar’s dominance—i.e. Western moves to freeze Russian reserve assets—others could help cement it further. Nathaniel Taplin, WSJ, 5 May 2022 International sanctions have already enabled countries to seize or freeze Russian assets, which could be used to pay off outstanding debts. Matthew Digiuseppe, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2022 The law, passed in 2012 and expanded in 2016, authorizes the U.S. government to impose sanctions on human rights abusers, freeze their assets and ban them from entering the country. Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2022 And on Monday, Switzerland broke from its tradition of neutrality by joining to freeze the assets of Putin, Russia’s prime minister and foreign minister, as well as scores of individuals targeted last week by the EU. Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2022 The article also notes that the frogs do not freeze completely solid, but two-thirds of the water in their body does turn to ice. Kate S. Petersen, USA TODAY, 29 July 2022 Noun
Along with its hiring freeze, Twitter has seen a number of exits by higher-ranking managers, including Bruce Falck, general manager of revenue, and Kayvon Beykpour, general manager of its consumer business. Jennifer Williams-alvarez, WSJ, 12 July 2022 But the nearly universal response to this sort of violation is to first freeze – and then to create distance (a smart protective move). Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 29 June 2022 But the nearly universal response to this sort of violation is to first freeze — and then to create distance (a smart protective move). Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 29 June 2022 But the nearly universal response to this sort of violation is to first freeze – and then to create distance (a smart protective move). Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2022 So a complete freeze of Russian imports would certainly squeeze Russia. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 22 Mar. 2022 For now, the freeze has helped drive Medicaid enrollment to a record 88 million people, an increase of 17 million from February 2020, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. David Wainer, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 The payment freeze will be extended one last time, until Dec. 31. Cora Lewis And Adriana Morga, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2022 The freeze started in 2020 as a way to help people struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s been extended several times since. The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English fresen, from Old English frēosan; akin to Old High German friosan to freeze, Latin pruina hoarfrost, Old English frost frost
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing freeze
Kids Definition
freeze 1 of 2
verb
ˈfrēz
froze
ˈfrōz
; frozen ˈfrō-zᵊn
; freezing 1
: to harden into or be hardened into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
freeze blueberries
The river froze over.
2
: to be uncomfortably cold
It's freezing in here. I'm frozen.
3
: to damage by cold
The plants were frozen by heavy frost.
4
: to clog or become clogged by ice
Water pipes froze overnight.
5
: to become completely still
I froze from fright.
freeze
2 of 2noun
1
: a period of freezing weather
2
: the state of being frozen
in a deep freeze
Medical Definition
freeze
verb
ˈfrēz
froze ˈfrōz ; frozen ˈfrōz-ᵊn ; freezing
; frozen ˈfrōz-ᵊn ; freezing intransitive verb
1
: to become hardened into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
2
a
: to become chilled with cold
almost froze to death
b
: to anesthetize a part especially by cold
transitive verb
1
: to cause to harden into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
2
: to make extremely cold : chill
3
a
: to act on usually destructively by frost
b
: to anesthetize by cold
Legal Definition
freeze
transitive verb
froze; frozen; freezing
1
: to cause to become fixed, immovable, unavailable, or unalterable
freeze interest rates
2
: to immobilize (as by government regulation or the action of a financial institution) the expenditure, withdrawal, or exchange of
freeze foreign assets
3
: to restructure (the capital of a close corporation) so that the value is reflected mostly in preferred stock rather than common stock
Note: Once capital is frozen, the common shares can be transferred to the heirs of the owner without taxation while the owner continues to enjoy the income from preferred stock dividends during his or her lifetime.
freeze 1 of 2
verb
as in to harden
to become physically firm or solid add antifreeze to the water in the radiator so it won't freeze and damage the engine Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- harden
- stiffen
- congeal
- solidify
- set
- concrete
- indurate
- crystallize
- gel
- petrify
- thicken
- jelly
- encrust
- coagulate
- cake
- gelatinize
- crystalize
- jell
- incrust
- rigidify
- callus
- firm (up)
- ossify
- gelate
- calcify
- clot
- anneal
- temper
- case-harden
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- soften
- liquefy
- thaw
- melt
- dissolve
- liquify
- smelt
- unfreeze
- fuse
- flux
- deliquesce
freeze
2 of 2noun
as in cold
a weather condition marked by low temperatures the Midwest will experience an intense freeze later in the week Synonyms & Similar Words
- cold
- frost
- coldness
- deep freeze
- chill
- cold wave
- snap
- bite
- chilliness
- cold front
- chillness
- frigidness
- nip
- wintriness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- heat
- heat wave
- dog days
- torridity
- torridness
Phrases Containing freeze
- hydrocharitaceaes
- hydrocharitaceous
- hydrochinon
- hydrochinone
- hydrochloric acid
- hydrochloride
- hydrochlorides
- hydrochlorinate
- hydrochlorination
- hydrochlorofluorocarbon
- hydrochlorothiazide
- hydrochlorothiazides
- hydrochoeri
- hydrochoeridaes
- Hydrochoerus
- hydrochoeruses
- hydrochoerusses
- hydrochore
- hydrochory
- hydrocinchonine
- hydrocinnamaldehyde
- hydrocinnamic acid
- hydrocladia
- hydrocladium
- hydroclastic