cooler

noun

cool·​er ˈkü-lər 

1

: one that cools: such as

a

: a container for cooling liquids

b

: refrigerator

2

: lockup, jail

especially : a cell for violent or unmanageable prisoners

3

: an iced drink usually with an alcoholic beverage as a base

Synonyms

• bastille
• big house [slang]
• bridewell
• brig
• calaboose
• can
• clink [slang]
• coop
• guardroom
• hock
• hold
• hoosegow
• jail
• jailhouse
• joint [slang]
• jug
• lockup
• nick [British slang]
• pen
• penitentiary
• pokey [slang]
• prison
• quod [British slang]
• slam
• slammer
• stir [slang]
• stockade
• tolbooth [Scottish]

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

Bags and coolers must measure less than 1.5 feet wide by 1.5 feet long, according to the event site. —Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Fans cannot bring: purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, diaper bags, cinch bags, non-approved seat cushions, luggage of any kind, computer bags and camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size. —Caché McClay, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

But no reprieve was given to other PC components, including fans, liquid coolers, and power supplies. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 25 Apr. 2025

Pro tip for iced coffee lovers: brew in the morning and put it in the cooler for an afternoon refresher. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

cool entry 2 + -er entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cooler

• cooler heads prevail
• the cooler
• wine cooler

Rhymes for cooler

• jeweller
• ruler
• schooler
• schuller
• preschooler
• vestibular

Kids Definition

cooler

noun

cool·​er ˈkü-lər 

: a container for keeping food or drink cool