Describing Temperature: English Vocabulary List

(of the weather) having extremely cold temperatures that cause thin layers of ice to form on surfaces

"The morning is frosty."

"The frosty morning coated the grass with a layer of ice crystals and the children were excited because they hoped that school would be cancelled due to the cold weather."

extremely cold in temperature, often causing discomfort or numbness

"The water is frigid."

"The frigid water of the lake took his breath away when he jumped in and he immediately swam back to the shore shivering uncontrollably from the cold."

having a temperature reminiscent of ice

"The drink is icy-cold."

"The icy-cold lemonade was refreshing on the hot summer day and she drank two glasses without stopping because she was so thirsty from working in the garden."

quick and energetic in movement or action

"We took a brisk walk."

"We took a brisk walk around the neighborhood before breakfast because the cool morning air felt refreshing."

causing a feeling of extreme cold

"The cold is bone-chilling."

"The bone-chilling cold seeped through his coat and he regretted not wearing a warmer jacket as he waited for the bus in the dark winter morning."

exhibiting characteristics typical of winter, often referring to cold and chilly conditions

"The weather is wintry."

"The wintry landscape was covered in snow and ice and the bare trees looked like black skeletons against the gray sky on that cold December afternoon."

having below zero degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit

"The temperature is sub-zero."

"The sub-zero temperatures caused the pipes in the old house to freeze and burst and the family had to move to a hotel while the damage was repaired."

(of weather) uncomfortably hot and lacking air circulation

"The heat is stifling."

"The stifling heat in the small apartment made it difficult to breathe and she opened all the windows but no breeze came to cool down the stuffy room."

(of a region or climate) having a temperature that is never very cold or very hot

"The climate is temperate."

"The coastal city has a temperate climate with mild winters and warm summers so many retirees choose to live there after they stop working."