cold case: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal, journalistic, technical (law enforcement)
Quick answer
What does “cold case” mean?
An unsolved criminal investigation that is no longer being actively pursued by law enforcement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An unsolved criminal investigation that is no longer being actively pursued by law enforcement.
Broadly, any long-standing unresolved problem or mystery where active efforts to find a solution have ceased.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage; the term is used identically. The concept and terminology originated in American law enforcement but are now standard in UK policing and media.
Connotations
Carries connotations of institutional failure, lingering injustice, and the hope of eventual resolution through advances in forensics or new witnesses.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties, heavily influenced by the popularity of crime dramas and documentaries.
Grammar
How to Use “cold case” in a Sentence
The detectives reopened the cold case.The murder remains a cold case.She works in the cold case unit.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cold case” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The case was eventually cold-cased after years without leads.
- They decided to cold-case the enquiry.
American English
- The department cold-cased the investigation in 1995.
- They are planning to cold-case it due to budget cuts.
adjective
British English
- It's a cold-case review, not a new investigation.
- He's part of the cold-case squad.
American English
- She is a cold-case detective.
- They formed a new cold-case unit.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; potentially metaphorical for a long-stalled project or deal.
Academic
Used in criminology, forensic science, and legal studies.
Everyday
Common in news reports and discussions about crime shows.
Technical
Standard term in police and legal jargon for categorising investigations.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cold case”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cold case”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cold case”
- Using it for very recent unsolved crimes (requires significant passage of time).
- Writing it as one word: 'coldcase'. It is a compound noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes, especially in media. In police work, it can technically apply to any serious unsolved crime like major theft or assault, but homicide is the most common referent.
Yes, this is common. New evidence, advances in forensic science (like DNA analysis), or a new witness coming forward can lead to a cold case being reopened and actively investigated again.
An 'open case' is still under active investigation. A 'cold case' is considered inactive or unsolvable with current information, though it remains technically 'open' in the sense of being unresolved.
The term originated in American law enforcement jargon in the mid-20th century. It entered widespread public vocabulary through crime fiction, news media, and later, television shows like 'Cold Case'.
An unsolved criminal investigation that is no longer being actively pursued by law enforcement.
Cold case is usually formal, journalistic, technical (law enforcement) in register.
Cold case: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkəʊld ˈkeɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkoʊld ˈkeɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to go cold (of a case/trail)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a detective's case file left out on a desk until it grows literally cold from neglect.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNSOLVED MYSTERY IS A COLD OBJECT (the trail has gone cold, a cold case).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'cold case'?