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Prepositions with chilling

Chilling with different prepositions

Chilling can describe something frightening or can be part of the informal verb phrase chill. The correct preposition depends on the meaning.

Quick answer

Common combinations with chilling

Chilling as an adjective often appears without a fixed preposition: a chilling message. In informal speech, chilling with means relaxing with someone, and chilling at or in refers to a place. Chilling of is not standard in these meanings.

That was a chilling warning.
We were chilling with friends.
They spent the evening chilling at home.
The kids were chilling in the garden.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
chilling + noun

Describing something frightening

Chilling commonly means frightening or deeply disturbing.

a chilling silence
a chilling prediction
2
chilling with + person

Relaxing socially with someone

In informal English, chilling with means spending relaxed time with people.

I was chilling with my cousins
They are chilling with colleagues after work
3
chilling at + place

Relaxing at a location

At introduces a general location where someone is relaxing.

We were chilling at the café
She is chilling at home
4
chilling in + place

Relaxing inside an area or space

In emphasises being inside a room, building, or area.

They were chilling in the living room
He spent the afternoon chilling in the park

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
chilling with
I'm chilling with my brother tonight.
relaxing socially with someone
chilling at
They were chilling at the beach.
relaxing at a place
chilling in
She was chilling in her room.
relaxing inside a space
chilling on
We were chilling on the sofa.
on introduces the surface or position, not a fixed phrase with chilling
chilling of
a chilling tale of survival
of belongs to the following noun phrase, not to chilling itself

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using chilling of as a fixed expression

Chilling does not normally take of directly.

✕ We were chilling of the pool. ✓ We were chilling by the pool.

Confusing chilling and chill

Chilling as an adjective means frightening, while chill as a verb means relax.

✕ We were chilling because the movie was relaxing. ✓ We were chilling because we wanted to relax.

Using on as if it were required

On only describes position.

✕ They were chilling on the café. ✓ They were chilling at the café.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We spent the evening ___ friends.
2. The documentary gave a ___ account of the disaster.
3. She was chilling ___ her apartment.

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Frequently asked questions

Is chilling with informal?

Yes. It is common in casual spoken and written English.

Can chilling mean frightening?

Yes. A chilling story or chilling sound can mean deeply disturbing or scary.

Is chilling of correct?

Not as a normal fixed combination. Of may belong to another phrase after chilling.

calm, in, calm, for, calm, about "candid about" or "candid in"? capable of or in? careful about, with, of, in or on? careless about, with, in, of or on? caribbean in, for, with, to or on? "catastrophic for" or "catastrophic to"? "cautious about" or "cautious in"? celtic in, for, on, at or to? central to, in, for, at or of? "certain of" or "certain about"? "challenging for" or "challenging of"?

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