1
: moderately cold : lacking in warmth
The plant grows best in cool climates.
2
a
: marked by steady dispassionate calmness and self-control
a cool and calculating businessperson
b
: lacking ardor or friendliness
a cool impersonal manner
c
of jazz
: marked by restrained emotion and the frequent use of counterpoint
d
: free from tensions or violence
We used to fight, but we're cool now.
3
—used as an intensive
a cool million dollars
4
: marked by deliberate effrontery or lack of due respect or discretion
a cool reply
5
: facilitating or suggesting relief from heat
a cool dress
6
a
of a color
: producing an impression of being cool
specifically
: of a hue in the range violet through blue to green
b
of a musical tone
: relatively lacking in timbre or resonance (see resonance sense 2a)
7
informal
b
: fashionable, hip
… not happy with the new shoes … because they were not "cool."—
Celestine Sibley
Celestine Sibley
cooled; cooling; cools
1
: to become cool : lose heat or warmth
placed the pie in the window to cool
—sometimes used with off or down
2
: to lose ardor or passion
His anger cooled.
1
: to make cool : impart a feeling of coolness to
cooled the room with a fan
—often used with off or down A swim cooled us off a little.
2
a
: to moderate the heat, excitement, or force of : calm
cooled her growing anger
b
: to slow or lessen the growth or activity of
—usually used with off or down
wants to cool off the economy without freezing it—Newsweek
Newsweek1
: a cool time, place, or situation
the cool of the evening
2
a
: absence of excitement or emotional involvement : detachment
… must surrender his fine cool and enter the closed crazy world of suicide …—Wilfrid Sheed
Wilfrid Sheed3
: hipness
: in a casual and nonchalant manner
play it cool
Phrases
cool it
: to calm down : go easy
The word went out to the young to cool it.—W. M. Young
W. M. Young
: to wait or be kept waiting for a long time especially from or as if from disdain or discourtesy
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Adjective
The weather is cool today.
The surface is cool to the touch.
The plant grows best in cool climates.
I'm feeling a little cool.
We changed into some cooler clothes.
She remained calm, cool, and collected.
Verb
The fan cools the engine.
the cooling effect of the breeze
Allow the cake to cool before slicing.
the cooling of the ocean waters
I took a break from the discussion to allow my anger to cool.
His interest in her has cooled somewhat.
Noun
had a cool new hairstyle
I envy you your cool.
Adverb
Here comes Mom. Act cool and she won't suspect a thing.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebIEEE Spectrum, 15 Feb. 2023
Ric Owens of Roberts Design gave the hotel interiors a cool, yet approachable feel with neoclassical French flare.
—Medgina Saint-elien, House Beautiful, 13 Feb. 2023
Not in a bad way, but in a good, strange, really cool way.
—The Indianapolis Star, 13 Feb. 2023
Both teed off in the morning wave when the wind wreaked havoc on performances, but both kept their cool.
—Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Feb. 2023
Faison got so giddy meeting Travolta, that Braff had to remind him to keep his cool.
—Lanae Brody, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2023
Yet when the lights shine brightest, Houston too often loses its cool.
—Michael Shapiro, Chron, 9 Feb. 2023
Some wineries are experimenting with shallow water aging, but most are looking to recreate the conditions of the wrecks that whet the industry’s interest: consistently cool, dark, and deep.
—Popular Mechanics, 8 Feb. 2023
But to have made these records 30 years ago and not be embarrassed, that’s a pretty cool thing.
—Josh Chesler, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2023
Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2023
The site already has a cooling water supply and connections to the national grid and railway system.
—Philip Ball, Scientific American, 16 May 2023
Last year, McLain cooled off during the summer because of injuries and because of his adjustment to the demands of playing a much longer schedule than the college season.
—Charlie Goldsmith, The Enquirer, 15 May 2023
The tea tree oil formula not only cools on contact but also helped target inflammation and redness on the body, too.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 13 May 2023
Other gold standards include: venue-specific emergency action plans, AEDs, cold water immersion tubs (for quickly cooling overheated athletes) and wet bulb globe temperature (which give a more accurate calculation of environmental heat and its potential effects on the human body).
—Stephanie Kuzydym, courier-journal.com, 10 May 2023
The tax exemptions would apply to servers and other computer equipment, parts and upgrades, software, electricity and electrical connections, cooling equipment, water conservation systems, and any other property as determined by WEDC.
—Karl Ebert, Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2023
The public service entry was Rogoway’s coverage of Google’s deal with The Dalles for public water to cool its expanding data centers.
—The Oregonian, oregonlive, 10 May 2023
Tip Before cooling, spoon a teaspoon of marmalade onto a small plate and freeze for 5 minutes.
—Country Living, 9 May 2023
Erik Adams, Chron, 15 May 2023
Material: Suede Size Range: UK6-UK12 11 The Chelsea Boot Koio Trento $365 at KOIO A staple piece of off-duty cool is the Chelsea boot, with its easy-on-easy-off construction and slightly more distressed wear.
—Dania Lucero Ortiz, townandcountrymag.com, 12 Apr. 2023
Vans x Collina Strada shirt, $125, and socks, $25 (AIM) (AIM) The whimsy of Collina Strada meets the timeless cool of Vans in their new collection.
—The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2023
The coach answered before losing his cool again and leaving the broadcast.
—Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 1 Mar. 2023
For a Silicon Valley, California, family that wanted a retreat in the woods but had no intention of going rustic, architect Cynthia Wang and designer Jamie Bush conjured a completely new take on the country cabin that brings urban cool to the Sierra Nevadas.
—Kate Mcgregor, ELLE Decor, 21 Dec. 2022
Affectionately known as GATs (German Army Trainers), these replicas of Austrian sport shoes from the 1970s are the epitome of cool.
—Christopher Friedmann, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2023
As hiring cools and unemployment rises, workers have less leverage to ask for pay increases.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2023
The fan was kneeling and shaking, and, with no security in sight, Wiz confusedly and gently pushed the fan offstage while maintaining his cool and staying on key.
—Emanuel Okusanya, Variety, 17 Nov. 2022
Car and Driver, 22 Feb. 2023
Some cool-looking shots.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Jan. 2023
Asus Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) has unveiled its varied, eclectic, and very cool-looking lineup of new gaming laptops for 2021.
—Monica Chin, The Verge, 12 Jan. 2021
The Peloton Bike+ is a cool-looking machine with a matte black finish and red accents.
—Corey Gaskin, Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2023
Today, the Sun had two relatively minor -- but quite cool-looking -- events.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 24 Mar. 2012
But while the script (co-written by Eisener and John Davies) is weak, there is an endearingly scruffy vibe here, goosed by some cool-looking costumes and effects.
—Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2023
The bodyweight-only moves on this list are great additions to any dynamic warm-up or cool-down, too.
—Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 25 Jan. 2022
Now, add something new and kind of cool-sounding, scheduled to open October 1: an interactive exhibit inspired by … cannabis.
—Joan Oleck, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2021
See More
Adjective
The video of Spot digging was pretty cool—how did that work?
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Feb. 2023
Ric Owens of Roberts Design gave the hotel interiors a cool, yet approachable feel with neoclassical French flare.
—Medgina Saint-elien, House Beautiful, 13 Feb. 2023
Not in a bad way, but in a good, strange, really cool way.
—The Indianapolis Star, 13 Feb. 2023
Both teed off in the morning wave when the wind wreaked havoc on performances, but both kept their cool.
—Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Feb. 2023
Faison got so giddy meeting Travolta, that Braff had to remind him to keep his cool.
—Lanae Brody, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2023
Yet when the lights shine brightest, Houston too often loses its cool.
—Michael Shapiro, Chron, 9 Feb. 2023
Some wineries are experimenting with shallow water aging, but most are looking to recreate the conditions of the wrecks that whet the industry’s interest: consistently cool, dark, and deep.
—Popular Mechanics, 8 Feb. 2023
But to have made these records 30 years ago and not be embarrassed, that’s a pretty cool thing.
—Josh Chesler, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2023
Verb
Kali River Rapids This themed raft ride is a great way to cool off on a humid summer day, but beware — you're almost guaranteed to get wet, if not absolutely soaked.
—Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2023
The site already has a cooling water supply and connections to the national grid and railway system.
—Philip Ball, Scientific American, 16 May 2023
Last year, McLain cooled off during the summer because of injuries and because of his adjustment to the demands of playing a much longer schedule than the college season.
—Charlie Goldsmith, The Enquirer, 15 May 2023
The tea tree oil formula not only cools on contact but also helped target inflammation and redness on the body, too.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 13 May 2023
Other gold standards include: venue-specific emergency action plans, AEDs, cold water immersion tubs (for quickly cooling overheated athletes) and wet bulb globe temperature (which give a more accurate calculation of environmental heat and its potential effects on the human body).
—Stephanie Kuzydym, courier-journal.com, 10 May 2023
The tax exemptions would apply to servers and other computer equipment, parts and upgrades, software, electricity and electrical connections, cooling equipment, water conservation systems, and any other property as determined by WEDC.
—Karl Ebert, Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2023
The public service entry was Rogoway’s coverage of Google’s deal with The Dalles for public water to cool its expanding data centers.
—The Oregonian, oregonlive, 10 May 2023
Tip Before cooling, spoon a teaspoon of marmalade onto a small plate and freeze for 5 minutes.
—Country Living, 9 May 2023
Noun
He’s trapped in a prison of cool, allowing a Gen-X notion of selling out to fuel a growing feud with his business partners, while a desire to still seem hip gives the wardrobe department the chance to dress Rogen like a Gen-Z hypebeast.
—Erik Adams, Chron, 15 May 2023
Material: Suede Size Range: UK6-UK12 11 The Chelsea Boot Koio Trento $365 at KOIO A staple piece of off-duty cool is the Chelsea boot, with its easy-on-easy-off construction and slightly more distressed wear.
—Dania Lucero Ortiz, townandcountrymag.com, 12 Apr. 2023
Vans x Collina Strada shirt, $125, and socks, $25 (AIM) (AIM) The whimsy of Collina Strada meets the timeless cool of Vans in their new collection.
—The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2023
The coach answered before losing his cool again and leaving the broadcast.
—Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 1 Mar. 2023
For a Silicon Valley, California, family that wanted a retreat in the woods but had no intention of going rustic, architect Cynthia Wang and designer Jamie Bush conjured a completely new take on the country cabin that brings urban cool to the Sierra Nevadas.
—Kate Mcgregor, ELLE Decor, 21 Dec. 2022
Affectionately known as GATs (German Army Trainers), these replicas of Austrian sport shoes from the 1970s are the epitome of cool.
—Christopher Friedmann, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2023
As hiring cools and unemployment rises, workers have less leverage to ask for pay increases.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2023
The fan was kneeling and shaking, and, with no security in sight, Wiz confusedly and gently pushed the fan offstage while maintaining his cool and staying on key.
—Emanuel Okusanya, Variety, 17 Nov. 2022
Adverb
The Ford Bronco can scratch almost anyone's itch for a cool-looking SUV with mega off-road capability without sacrificing good paved-road behavior in the process.
—Car and Driver, 22 Feb. 2023
Some cool-looking shots.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Jan. 2023
Asus Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) has unveiled its varied, eclectic, and very cool-looking lineup of new gaming laptops for 2021.
—Monica Chin, The Verge, 12 Jan. 2021
The Peloton Bike+ is a cool-looking machine with a matte black finish and red accents.
—Corey Gaskin, Ars Technica, 12 Feb. 2023
Today, the Sun had two relatively minor -- but quite cool-looking -- events.
—Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 24 Mar. 2012
But while the script (co-written by Eisener and John Davies) is weak, there is an endearingly scruffy vibe here, goosed by some cool-looking costumes and effects.
—Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2023
The bodyweight-only moves on this list are great additions to any dynamic warm-up or cool-down, too.
—Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 25 Jan. 2022
Now, add something new and kind of cool-sounding, scheduled to open October 1: an interactive exhibit inspired by … cannabis.
—Joan Oleck, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cool.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English col, going back to Old English cōl, going back to West Germanic *kōlu- (whence also Middle Dutch coele "moderately cold" and, from a variant *kōlja-, Old High German kuoli), lengthened-grade derivative from the base of *kalan- "to be cold" — more at cold entry 1
Verb
Middle English colen, going back to Old English cōlian, verbal derivative from Germanic *kōl- cool entry 1 (whence also Old Saxon colon "to become cool," Old High German kuolēn)
Noun
Middle English cole, derivative of col cool entry 1
Adverb
derivative of cool entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adverb
1968, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of cool was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing cool
Articles Related to cool
Dictionary Entries Near cool
Cite this Entry
“Cool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cool. Accessed 9 Jun. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
cool
1 of 3 adjective1
: somewhat cold : lacking in warmth
2
: not letting in or keeping in heat
cool clothes
3
: marked by steady calmness and self-control
4
: not friendly or interested
was cool toward strangers
5
: producing an impression of being cool
blue is a cool color
6
cool
2 of 3 verb1
: to make or become cool
2
: to make or become less excited : calm
allow tempers to cool
cool
3 of 3 noun
: a cool time or place
the cool of the night
Legal Definition
cool
intransitive verb
: to lose passion : become calm
—sometimes used with off or down
the time elapsing…is such that a reasonable man thus provoked would have cooled—W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
More from Merriam-Webster on cool
Nglish: Translation of cool for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of cool for Arabic Speakers
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