cooler

noun

cool·​er ˈkü-lər How to pronounce cooler (audio)
1
: one that cools: such as
a
: a container for cooling liquids
2
: lockup, jail
especially : a cell for violent or unmanageable prisoners
3
: an iced drink usually with an alcoholic beverage as a base

Examples of cooler in a Sentence

The sodas are in the cooler. plea-bargained to avoid spending time in the cooler
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Photograph: Amazon LifeStraw Personal Water Filter $17 $10 (41% off) Amazon Camping water, and outdoor water, is often gross water—sitting too long in the cooler with pine needles for some reason, running free in the outdoors but maybe unsafe, or pulled from spigots of unknown plumbing. Simon Hill, Wired News, 12 July 2025 You’re already loaded down with beach bags, umbrellas, coolers, sand toys, and more—and hauling all of that across the sand is notoriously difficult. Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 12 July 2025 The fishing details include a front rod holder, a rear rack with four more rod holders, an Orca 58-quart cooler, a two-section fishing bench seat, and seven-inch Garmin chartplotter and fish finder. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 11 July 2025 The team hand counted each tadpole then placed them in specialized coolers, each containing about 1,500 tadpoles. Miami Herald, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for cooler

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cooler was circa 1550

Cite this Entry

“Cooler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cooler. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

cooler

noun
cool·​er ˈkü-lər How to pronounce cooler (audio)
: a container for keeping food or drink cool

More from Merriam-Webster on cooler

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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