To quit “cold turkey” means to stop completely and suddenly, rather than reduce something little by little. The expression is especially common when people discuss giving up smoking or another habit.
It describes how someone stops, not whether stopping is easy or successful. Someone who quits this way may still have cravings or need support afterward.
- “Maya quit smoking cold turkey instead of cutting down over several weeks.”
- “I tried giving up coffee cold turkey, but I found it difficult.”
The expression’s origin is uncertain. One proposed explanation connects cold, understood as blunt or direct, with talk turkey, meaning to speak plainly and directly. On this account, the idea of doing something directly developed into the idea of stopping outright, without a gradual change.
That is a possible explanation, not a proven word history. Earlier uses connected with plain speaking help explain why the proposal exists, but they do not establish exactly how the modern meaning developed.
For everyday use, compare a sudden stop with a gradual reduction:
- “He stopped drinking coffee overnight.” This describes a sudden stop.
- “He drank a little less coffee each week.” This describes cutting down gradually.
The expression does not imply that sudden stopping is medically advisable. Stopping some substances, including alcohol after heavy regular use, or certain medicines can be dangerous without medical guidance.