Cold comfort

/kˈəʊld kˈʌmfət/

/kˈoʊld kˈʌmfɚt/

[noun]

Cold comfort

[NOUN]

sympathy, help, or encouragement that is barely enough to improve a person's situation or make them feel any better

The idiom "cold comfort" refers to a situation where something may provide a small amount of relief or consolation but ultimately fails to offer true comfort or solace. It describes a situation where the consolation or reassurance provided is insufficient to alleviate the distress or disappointment being experienced. It describes a situation where the consolation or reassurance provided is insufficient to alleviate the distress or disappointment being experienced.

Examples

1. All of this is cold comfort to somebody who just lost their job.

2. But that may be cold comfort for those directly in its path.

3. It was likely cold comfort to Trump, who may have known that others were taken more seriously by Putin.

4. That's cold comfort for residents who retired here for a life of leisure and are now watching their life savings go down the drain.