How do you say “Go cold turkey” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is einen kalten Entzug machen, which literally means “to do a cold withdrawal”. English speakers use go cold turkey to mean to suddenly and completely stop an addictive habit or behavior instead of slowing down gradually. Germans use this expression both for literal substance withdrawal and colloquially for kicking everyday habits like sugar or social media. Register: informal, colloquial. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
einen kalten Entzug machen
[ˈaɪ̯nən ˈkaltn̩ ɛntˈtsuːk ˈmaxn̩]
- Literal meaning
- “to do a cold withdrawal”
- Register
- informal, colloquial
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
German directly mirrors the concept of quitting abruptly through the term 'kalter Entzug' (cold withdrawal). Just like 'cold turkey' in English, the phrase originates from unmedicated drug or alcohol withdrawal, but native speakers routinely use it in casual conversation for habits like binge-watching, junk food, or phone addiction.
When Germans want to express the suddenness of quitting without necessarily evoking the harsh physical imagery of withdrawal, they often prefer 'von heute auf morgen aufhören' (quitting overnight). However, if you want to emphasize the willpower, discomfort, and absolute break that 'go cold turkey' conveys, 'einen kalten Entzug machen' is the exact natural counterpart.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity3 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
von heute auf morgen aufhören
Literally: “to quit from today to tomorrow”
Extremely common for habits; emphasizes suddenness rather than physical withdrawal symptoms.
einen harten Schnitt machen
Literally: “to make a hard cut”
More general; used for suddenly ending habits, relationships, or lifestyle patterns.
Common translation traps
kalter Truthahn
A literal word-for-word translation that makes no sense in German and is only known as a joke.
The notes above explain why these versions do not work in this context in German.
In context
English
I decided to quit smoking and go cold turkey.
German
Ich habe beschlossen, mit dem Rauchen aufzuhören und einen kalten Entzug zu machen.
English
She went cold turkey on social media for a month.
German
Sie hat einen Monat lang einen kalten Entzug von Social Media gemacht.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-11