cool

SayKOOLUS/kul/UK/kuːl/

Adjectivecooler, coolest

Verbcools, cooling, cooled

18 meanings of cool

Practice

1
low temperatureadjective
A little cold, or making you feel pleasantly less hot.
Like the air in the shade on a sunny day.
The evening air felt cool after the hot afternoon.
The room got cool at night, so I closed the window.
Similarfresh, refreshing, crisp
Oppositewarm, hot
Note
2
impressiveadjectivecolloquial
Very interesting or exciting to see or do.
Like seeing something amazing that makes you say 'wow!'
The science museum had a really cool dinosaur exhibit.
It was so cool to watch the rockets launch into the sky.
Similarawesome, neat
Oppositeboring, dull, lame
3
make colderverbtransitive
To make something less warm, or to become less warm.
Like blowing on hot food to make it ready to eat.
Fans help cool the room on hot days.
She cooled the cake by setting it near the window.
UsageYou can say cool it down, or cool it with water or ice.
Similarchill
Oppositeheat, warm
Note
4
all rightadjectivecolloquial
Okay or fine. Of a person, it can also mean happy to accept something.
Like saying 'no problem' when something is okay with you.
Don't worry, it's totally cool if you're a little late.
Is it cool if I borrow your pen for a minute?
UsageAsk Is it cool if I...? A person can be cool with a plan.
Similarfine, okay
Oppositeunacceptable
5
stylishadjectivecolloquial
Stylish, fashionable, and liked by others.
Like the newest style that everyone wants to wear.
Those sneakers are really cool this year.
She found a cool new jacket at the thrift store.
Similarfashionable, stylish, trendy, hip
Oppositeunfashionable, dated, uncool
6
adjective
Calm and not upset or excited, even when things are hard.
Like staying calm and quiet while others around you start to panic.
She stayed cool when the fire alarm went off.
He kept cool during the tough interview.
UsageOften with stay or keep: stay cool, keep a cool head.
Similarcalm, composed, collected, unflappable, unruffled
Oppositenervous, agitated, flustered, panicky
7
less intenseverbfigurativelyintransitive
To become less strong or friendly, or to make feelings less strong.
Like a hot drink slowly losing its heat until it is only warm.
Over the months, their once-passionate romance began to cool.
His enthusiasm cooled as the project dragged on.
Similarchill, subside, wane, fade, diminish
Oppositewarm, intensify
8
steady nervesnoununcountable
A calm, steady state of mind, especially when things get hard.
Like staying steady and calm instead of getting upset.
She kept her cool even when the meeting turned tense.
He lost his cool and started shouting at the referee.
UsageMost often in keep your cool (stay calm) and lose your cool (get angry).
Similarcomposure, calmness
Oppositepanic, agitation, nervousness

Less common meanings

9
on good termsadjectivecolloquial
Friendly and getting along well with someone.
Like two friends who never stay angry at each other.
After they talked things over, the two brothers were cool again.
Don't worry, my old roommate and I are cool these days.
UsagePeople say we're cool after a fight to mean things are okay again.
Similarfine, okay, friendly
Oppositeestranged
10
adjective
Not very interested or excited about something.
Like clapping politely without really meaning it.
Critics were cool toward the director's latest film.
The board gave a cool response to the merger proposal.
UsagePeople are cool to or toward an idea; a plan can get a cool reception.
Similarlukewarm, tepid, chilly
Oppositewarm
11
blue-greenadjective
Of a color, in the blue, green, or violet part of the rainbow.
Like the colors of ice, sky, and grass rather than fire.
The bedroom's cool blue walls made the space feel calm.
Designers often use cool tones to make a room feel larger.
Similarcold
Oppositewarm
Note
12
aura of stylenoununcountable
The quality of being popular and in style.
Like the special style that makes someone popular without trying.
He has a quiet cool that everyone in the room notices.
Her sense of cool made her the most admired student in school.
UsageUsually no a, except with a describing word: a quiet cool.
Similarstyle, hipness, chic, flair, glamour
13
noununcountable
A pleasant, slightly cold feeling in the air.
Like the fresh feeling when you step into shade on a hot day.
We enjoyed the cool of the early morning before the heat set in.
The cool of the cave was a relief from the burning sun.
UsageUsually the cool of the morning or evening.
Similarfreshness
Oppositeheat, warmth
14
big sumadjective
Used before an amount of money to stress how big it is.
Like saying 'a whole million dollars' to show how big it is.
The old car cost him a cool sixty thousand dollars.
They made a cool million on the deal in a single year.
UsageSay a cool before the amount: a cool million.
Similarwhopping
Note
15
relaxverbslangintransitive
To relax and spend easy time, often with friends.
Like relaxing and taking it easy with no plans.
No big plans tonight. We're just cooling at Sam's house.
On Fridays we just cool at my cousin's place and watch movies.
UsageOften just cooling, also written coolin'. Add a place: cooling at Sam's.
Similarchill, relax, lounge, hang, unwind
Note
16
interjectioncolloquial
Said as an answer to show you like something, agree, or think it is fine.
"I'll pick you up at six." "Cool, see you then."
"We saved an extra ticket for you." "Oh, cool! Thanks!"
Similarokay, great, fine, nice
17
adjective
Not very warm or friendly to someone, in a distant or slightly unwelcoming way.
My new neighbor is always a bit cool toward me.
He gave us a cool look and did not say hello.
Usagecool toward someone means unfriendly; cool with something means okay with it.
Similarcold, chilly, frosty, distant, aloof
Oppositewarm, friendly, cordial
Note
18
verbdated
To kill someone on purpose.
Big-mouth got up as fast as he could, and I was thinking how much heart he had. But I ran toward him like my life depended on it; I wanted to cool him.
1967, Piri Thomas, Down These Mean StreetsHere, cool means to kill someone.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of cool apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2, 4–6, 8–14, 16–17

From Old English cōl, meaning cool or calm. It goes back to an old root meaning cold, and is related to the word cold.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

The adjective cool descends from Old English cōl. en.wiktionary.org
Old English cōl meant cool or calm. upload.wikimedia.org
Cool ultimately derives from a root meaning cold. en.wiktionary.org
Cool and cold are etymologically related through the root *gel-. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 3, 7, 15

From Old English cōlian, meaning to cool or grow cold, from an old root meaning to freeze.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

The verb cool derives from Old English cōlian. en.wiktionary.org
Old English cōlian meant to cool or grow cold. en.wiktionary.org
The word ultimately derives from a root meaning to freeze. en.wiktionary.org