frozen solid

USAGE SUMMARY

"frozen solid" is a correctly formed and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe something that has been frozen and made hard, like when water turns to ice. For example, "The lake had been frozen solid for weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Frozen solid.

The New York Times - Travel

His handkerchief has frozen solid.

The New Yorker

His jeans had frozen solid?

The New Yorker

It should not be frozen solid.

The New York Times - Health

The kid's pants were frozen solid.

The New Yorker

The soil was frozen solid last December.

The New York Times

Every river we crossed was frozen solid.

The Guardian - Travel

I give it a test poke – it's frozen solid.

The Guardian - Travel

A river that had been frozen solid three weeks earlier?

The New York Times - Travel

"His face was frozen solid," Mr. Schelzo said.

The New York Times

Gordimer's small frame and hard-bitten face was frozen solid.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "frozen solid" to clearly indicate that something is not just frozen on the surface but completely and thoroughly frozen. This avoids ambiguity and provides a strong image of the item's state.

Common error

While "frozen solid" is appropriate for literal descriptions of freezing, avoid using it metaphorically unless you want to create a very strong, almost exaggerated image of immobility or inflexibility. Overusing it can sound cliché or overly dramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "frozen solid" functions primarily as a descriptive adjective phrase. It modifies a noun to indicate that the noun has undergone complete freezing, resulting in a hardened state. Ludwig's examples show its use in various contexts, from describing frozen bodies of water to food items.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Wiki

21%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Science

9%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "frozen solid" is a common and grammatically correct adjective phrase used to describe something that is completely frozen and hard. As confirmed by Ludwig, it appears frequently in various contexts, including News & Media, Wiki articles, and Academic texts. Its neutral register makes it suitable for both formal and informal communication. While generally used in literal contexts, it can occasionally be employed metaphorically to emphasize complete stagnation or immobility. When writing, it's best to remember that while it's useful to clearly indicate that something is not just frozen on the surface but completely and thoroughly frozen, avoid overusing it in non-literal contexts as this can sound cliché.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely frozen

Emphasizes the completeness of the freezing process.

entirely frozen

Similar to 'completely frozen', stressing the full extent of the freezing.

rock-hard frozen

Highlights the hardness resulting from the freezing process.

frozen through

Suggests that the freezing has penetrated all the way through an object.

firmly frozen

Focuses on the firmness of the frozen state.

hardened by ice

Focuses on the role of ice in making something solid.

solidified by cold

More formal, highlighting the cold as the cause of solidification.

ice-bound

Implies being trapped or constrained by ice.

turned to solid ice

Describes the transformation into ice as a solid state.

congealed completely

Emphasizes the process of changing from a liquid or soft state to a solid one due to cold.

FAQs

How can I use "frozen solid" in a sentence?

You can use "frozen solid" to describe items that have been completely frozen, such as "The lake was "frozen solid" during the winter" or "The pipes were "frozen solid", so we had no running water".

What are some alternatives to saying "frozen solid"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "completely frozen", "entirely frozen", or "rock-hard frozen" to describe something that has been thoroughly frozen.

Is it correct to use "frozen solid" to describe a non-physical state?

While primarily used to describe physical freezing, "frozen solid" can be used metaphorically to describe something as unchangeable or immobile. However, use this sparingly to avoid cliché. For example, you might say "The negotiations were "frozen solid"" to emphasize complete stagnation.

What does it mean when something is described as "frozen solid"?

When something is described as "frozen solid", it means that it has been thoroughly and completely frozen, typically resulting in a hard, unyielding state. This is often used to describe water turning to ice, but can apply to other substances as well.