cold comfort

noun

1. slight or negligible comfort; scarce consolation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cold comfort¹

First recorded in 1565–75

Idioms and Phrases

Slight or no consolation. For example, He can't lend us his canoe but will tell us where to rent one—that's cold comfort. The adjective cold was being applied to comfort in this sense by the early 1300s, and Shakespeare used the idiom numerous times.

Example Sentences

It’s cold comfort, a phrase that could capably describe the entire vibe of “Sorry, Baby.”

From Los Angeles Times

That may be cold comfort for Americans adversely affected by the Doge chainsaw, however.

From BBC

That he is not the first world leader to use violence or war to avoid prison offers cold comfort.

From Salon

Trump's words after the Chinese app's sudden emergence in recent days were probably cold comfort to the likes of Altman and Ellison.

From BBC

The Democratic governor characterized California’s economic might as “cold comfort” to regions that feel like they don’t fully participate in the state’s muscular output.

From Los Angeles Times