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

The lights are off, and a few lonely parfaits sit in its cooler. — Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026

From the jars, bottles, boxes, and bags that fill our fridges and pantries to the frosty contents of our coolers, each item is chosen with intention. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 23 July 2026

But staff members have had to make do with indoor swamp coolers and fans, said Darlene Lopez, the manager at the animal hospital, in an interview with The Times. — Seamus Bozeman follow, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026

Divers focused Wednesday on collecting genetically diverse coral pieces, wrapping each in wet bubble wrap and placing them in coolers before sanitizing them and putting them in tanks at the hatchery. — ABC News, 22 July 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

• ruler
• schooler
• schuller
• preschooler
• vestibular

Kids Definition

cooler

noun

cool·​er ˈkü-lər 

: a container for keeping food or drink cool