cold comfort

C

cold comfort

Meaning

• insufficient ease, sympathy, or encouragement
• slight or no consolation
• no comfort or consolation at all
• no comfort because the situation is very problematic or unfriendly
• something that improves a condition slightly but not much

Example Sentences

1. A small increment after two years is cold comfort.
2. After several days of scorching heat, light rain is cold comfort.
3. The advisory engineer said only the front body of the truck is smashed and not its engine, but I think that will be cold comfort to her.
4. It is cold comfort to be told that the scientist will discover a medicine to cure the deadly virus.
5. I know that several others are worse off than us, but that’s no cold comfort.

Origin

The idiom “cold comfort” was originated in the 14th century.

Cold