cold turkey
nounDefinition of cold turkey
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: abrupt complete cessation of the use of an addictive drug
also
: the symptoms experienced by a person undergoing withdrawal from a drug
2
: unrelieved blunt language or procedure
3
: a cold aloof person
cold turkey
adverbDefinition of cold turkey (Entry 2 of 2)
: all at once : abruptly: such as
a
: without a period of gradual adjustment, adaptation, or withdrawal
quit smoking cold turkey
b
: without preparation
a new player who started the season cold turkey
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Other Words from cold turkey
Noun
cold-turkey
\ ˈkōld-ˈtər-kē 
\
transitive verb
\
transitive verb
Examples of cold turkey in a Sentence
Noun
I tried lots of ways to stop smoking, even cold turkey. my new boss is a cold turkey and definitely not one for chitchatRecent Examples on the Web: Adverb
Bringing in a new team — cold turkey — would be accompanied by controversy. — Bob Raissman, courant.com, "Retirement talk off limits for Suzyn Waldman, John Sterling," 2 Aug. 2019 If an e-cigarette user is unable to quit cold turkey, Siegel recommends switching to a vape liquid that doesn’t contain nicotine salts. — Ysabelle Kempe, BostonGlobe.com, "E-cigarette users find themselves seeking help to quit," 8 July 2019 Go cold turkey on airport retail Just like the candy and treats dangerously close to the register at the grocery store, airside retail can be a temptation, Button says. — Mark Ellwood, Condé Nast Traveler, "How to Buy a Souvenir You Won't Regret," 19 Sep. 2018 Brown claims the industrial world can't afford to go cold turkey off oil. — William Lajeunesse, Fox News, "California Gov. Jerry Brown a 'hypocrite' when it comes to oil drilling, critics say," 13 Sep. 2018 That change was a recognition that many pregnant women with a history of drug abuse take prescribed opioids — methadone or buprenorphine — to manage their cravings, prevent withdrawal, and avoid the miscarriage risk of quitting opioids cold turkey. — Marie Mccullough, Philly.com, "Pa. law aims to protect newborns of moms in opioid addiction," 29 June 2018 Amy, when my father had a stroke, he was forced to stop smoking, cold turkey. — Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, "Life in a new town brings invitations for shake downs," 2 June 2018 Amy, when my father had a stroke, he was forced to stop smoking, cold turkey. — Amy Dickinson, chicagotribune.com, "Life in a new town brings invitations for shakedowns," 2 June 2018 Still, many of us crave that sugary sweetness, so going cold turkey might not be an option. — Molly Kimball, NOLA.com, "Cutting back on sugar? A guide to sweetener choices," 8 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cold turkey.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for cold turkey
cold turkey
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of cold turkey
informal
: the act of stopping a bad habit (such as taking drugs) in a sudden and complete way
See the full definition for cold turkey in the English Language Learners Dictionary
cold turkey
noun
cold tur·key
| \ -ˈtər-kē
\
\
Medical Definition of cold turkey
: abrupt complete cessation of the use of an addictive drug
also
: the symptoms experienced by one undergoing withdrawal from a drug
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