noun

cold turkey

kohld TUR-kee

Quiz me More like this

Cold turkey (noun) means the abrupt and complete withdrawal from an addictive substance, without tapering the dose or using any medication to soften the effects; also the physical symptoms this produces. Example: “He quit heroin cold turkey and shook for four days straight.”

noun

The abrupt and complete withdrawal from an addictive substance, without tapering the dose or using any medication to soften the effects; also the physical symptoms this produces.

"He quit heroin cold turkey and shook for four days straight."

"She gave up twenty cigarettes a day and went through a fortnight of cold turkey."

dated slang Blunt, unvarnished talk that gets straight to the unpleasant point.

"He talked cold turkey to the crew about the layoffs."

adverb

informal Suddenly and completely, with no gradual reduction, used of stopping any habit.

"I gave up social media cold turkey and did not miss it."

How to use cold turkey

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishStopping a habit all at once instead of cutting down slowly.

When to use it

Informal but universally understood, including in medical settings where it describes unassisted withdrawal.

Memory tip

The most common form is the verb phrase 'go cold turkey', not 'do cold turkey'.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

tapering → detox → cold shoulder

Common pairings

go cold turkey quit cold turkey cold turkey withdrawal stop cold turkey

Vocabulary Flow

Build your vocabulary from words like cold turkey.

Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.

Start vocabulary practice

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “cold turkey” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He quit heroin _____ and shook for four days straight.

Etymology

Various explanations; see Cold turkey § Etymology on Wikipedia.

Synonyms

View more →

abrupt withdrawal going cold turkey straight talk plain speaking

Antonyms

tapering weaning off

Related words

pointed narrowing tapering weaning tapered dwindling

Rhymes for cold turkey

key hey bey dey ley grey they joey whey obey prey abbey

See all rhymes for cold turkey →

Frequently asked questions

What does going cold turkey mean?

It means stopping an addictive habit all at once instead of cutting down gradually. The phrase is used most often about drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, but people also apply it loosely to sugar, gambling or screen time.

Is quitting cold turkey safe?

It depends entirely on the substance. Stopping nicotine or caffeine abruptly is uncomfortable but not dangerous, whereas suddenly stopping alcohol or benzodiazepines after heavy long-term use can cause seizures and can be fatal, so medical supervision is needed.

Why is it called cold turkey?

The origin is not settled. A widely repeated explanation links it to the cold, goose-pimpled skin of someone in withdrawal, but this is a popular guess rather than documented fact.

What is the meaning of cold turkey?

"cold turkey" (noun) means the abrupt and complete withdrawal from an addictive substance, without tapering the dose or using any medication to soften the effects; also the physical symptoms this produces.

People also searched

pointed narrowing tapering weaning tapered dwindling