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 of cooler

• penitentiary
• jail
• prison

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

During the warm summer months, rent an inner tube, fill an inflatable cooler with drinks (perhaps something from Guerneville’s very own Stumptown Brewery), and get out on the water at picturesque spots like the famed Johnson’s Beach. —Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026

Culdesac has about 55% of landscape space, which makes the town about 15 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than another neighborhood just across the street, Johnson said. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026

Health inspectors observed a dead cockroach on the vent of the reach-in cooler next to the cook area and deep freezer. —Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026

One woman could be seen placing the lobster into a cooler with water. —Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026

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