ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə tɹˈɛbəlzˌiːn kəntɹˈɪbjuːɾɚ dʒˈɛf tˈɛɹɪtʃ, "kˈoʊld wˈeɪv" wʌz ˈʌltᵻmətli sˈʌbsuːmd baɪ ðə ɹˌɛtɹoʊspˈɛktɪv lˈeɪbəlz "mˈɪnɪməl wˈeɪv" ɔːɹ "mˈɪnɪməl sˈɪnθ".
According to Treblezine contributor Jeff Terich, "cold wave" was ultimately subsumed by the retrospective labels "minimal wave" or "minimal synth".