Phrase guide

in the cold light of day

prep_phrase · 2 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • ĭn′ thə kōld′ līt′ əv dā′
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌɪn ðə ˈkəʊ̯ld ˌlaɪ̯t əv ˈdeɪ̯/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌɪn ðə ˈkoʊ̯ld ˌlaɪ̯t əv ˈdeɪ̯/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada: /-ˌlʌɪ̯t-/
  • Australian: /ˌɪn ðə ˈkəʉ̯ld ˌlɑe̯t əv ˈdæɪ̯/
  • New-Zealand: /ˌən ðə ˈkɐʉ̯ld ˌlaɪ̯t əv ˈdæɪ̯/
  • Scotland: /ˌɪn ðə ˈkold ˌlaɪ̯t əv ˈde/
  • Scotland: /-ˌlʌi̯t-/
  • Scotland: /-ˌləi̯t-/
  • India: /ˌɪn d̪e ˈkoːlɖ ˌlajʈ ov ˈɖeː/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool or after having sobered up.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • In the cold light of day, I felt I had overreacted.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: in the heat of the moment

2

prep_phrase

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see in, the, cold, light, of, day; during the day; in daylight.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Probably an allusion to a situation being seen more clearly in daylight, and after some time has passed. The word cold is used in the sense of “dispassionate; not prejudiced or partisan; impartial”.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: in alle rust — viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool
  • Finnish: tunteiden tasaannuttua — viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool
  • French: à tête reposée — viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool
  • French: à froid — viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool
  • German: nüchtern betrachtet — viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool
  • Italian: a freddo — viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool
  • Italian: a mente fredda — viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool
  • Polish: w świetle dnia — viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool
  • Finnish: päivänvalossa — in daylight
  • Polish: w świetle dnia — in daylight