cold feet
4 synonyms and 2 antonyms for cold feet, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A sudden loss of nerve about something you had already decided to do.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to Use Cold Feet
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Informal and idiomatic; almost always used with get or have, and it is uncountable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between getting cold feet and changing your mind?
Changing your mind means new reasoning led to a different decision. Cold feet means fear or nerves overtook a decision you had already made and probably still believe in. That is why it usually strikes just before the commitment.
Is cold feet only about weddings?
No. Weddings are the classic example, but the phrase applies to any commitment, such as pulling out of a house purchase, a job offer, an investment or a public speech.
Can you say cold foot in the singular?
No. Cold feet is a fixed idiom and only works in the plural. The singular refers literally to a chilly foot.