Phrase guide

cold turkey

adv · noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adv

Meaning 1

Not gradually; all at once; referring especially to quitting a habit by force of will rather than by a gradual reduction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • It is difficult, but possible to quit smoking cold turkey.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A sudden and complete withdrawal from a dependent substance, especially a drug.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, informal, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The physiological effects of such a withdrawal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Something exposed as a target due to surmountable defense.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, slang, uncountable

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cold meat, easy target, easy pickings

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To undergo sudden and complete withdrawal from a dependent substance, especially a drug.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

complete and abrupt withdrawal of all addictive drugs or anything else on which you have become dependent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he quit smoking cold turkey
  • she quit her job cold turkey

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: withdrawal, drug withdrawal

7

noun

Meaning 7

a blunt expression of views

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I told him cold turkey

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: expression, verbal expression, verbalism

History

Etymology

Various explanations; see Cold turkey § Etymology on Wikipedia.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: ineens — abruptly
  • Finnish: kerralla — abruptly
  • Finnish: seinään — abruptly
  • French: brutalement — abruptly
  • French: d'un coup d'un seul — abruptly
  • French: d'un seul coup — abruptly
  • German: abrupt — abruptly
  • Hungarian: hirtelen — abruptly
  • Italian: di colpo — abruptly
  • Italian: di punto in bianco — abruptly
  • Japanese: 突然に (totsuzenni) — abruptly
  • Japanese: 一度に (ichidoni) — abruptly
  • Polish: raptem — abruptly
  • Russian: ре́зко (rézko) — abruptly
  • Russian: внеза́пно (vnezápno) — abruptly
  • Swedish: abrupt — abruptly
  • Swedish: på en gång — abruptly
  • Swedish: helt tvärt — abruptly
  • Yiddish: פֿון דער העלער הויט (fun der heler hoyt) — abruptly
  • Yiddish: מיט אַ מאָל (mit a mol) — abruptly
  • Danish: kold tyrker — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Dutch: abrupte ontwenning — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Finnish: lopettaminen kuin seinään — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • German: kalter Entzug — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Hungarian: hirtelen abbahagyás/elhagyás/megvonás — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Irish: tobstaonadh — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Italian: astinenza completa — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Italian: astinenza — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Polish: nagły i całkowity odwyk — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Spanish: en seco — sudden and complete withdrawal
  • Dutch: ontwenningsverschijnselen — symptoms of withdrawal
  • Esperanto: abstina sindromo — symptoms of withdrawal
  • French: manque — symptoms of withdrawal
  • Irish: tobstaonadh — symptoms of withdrawal
  • Italian: crisi di astinenza — symptoms of withdrawal
  • Portuguese: crise de abstinência — symptoms of withdrawal
  • Swedish: abstinenssymtom — symptoms of withdrawal