Definition of coolnext
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as in downtown
slang keenly aware of and responsive to the latest developments especially in fashion and entertainment a Greek island that's the current favorite of the cool crowd

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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cool

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verb

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as in to chill
to cause to lose heat cool your drinks in the icy mountain stream

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in to hush
to become still and orderly after the recess, tempers had cooled, and we could have a civil, rational discussion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cool

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noun

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word cool different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of cool are collected, composed, imperturbable, nonchalant, and unruffled. While all these words mean "free from agitation or excitement," cool may imply calmness, deliberateness, or dispassionateness.

kept a cool head

Where would collected be a reasonable alternative to cool?

The words collected and cool can be used in similar contexts, but collected implies a concentration of mind that eliminates distractions especially in moments of crisis.

the nurse stayed calm and collected

When is composed a more appropriate choice than cool?

While in some cases nearly identical to cool, composed implies freedom from agitation as a result of self-discipline or a sedate disposition.

the composed pianist gave a flawless concert

When can imperturbable be used instead of cool?

Although the words imperturbable and cool have much in common, imperturbable implies coolness or assurance even under severe provocation.

the speaker remained imperturbable despite the heckling

When is it sensible to use nonchalant instead of cool?

The meanings of nonchalant and cool largely overlap; however, nonchalant stresses an easy coolness of manner or casualness that suggests indifference or unconcern.

a nonchalant driver

When might unruffled be a better fit than cool?

In some situations, the words unruffled and cool are roughly equivalent. However, unruffled suggests apparent serenity and poise in the face of setbacks or in the midst of excitement.

harried but unruffled

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cool
Adjective
Irma, several years younger, is a rising academic star, a scholarship student from a rural Catholic family, so unhip that her lack of touch is its own form of cool. — B. D. McClay, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Checks cover everything from ensuring fridges are available for keeping vaccines cool to determining how many children should be vaccinated. — Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
About 20 pounds of cooked whole chicken from the previous day was improperly cooling. — Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Intriguingly, the pseudogap-like signature emerged even when the electrons had cooled below the temperature at which the material normally becomes superconducting. — Sven Badoux, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
Fog forms when moisture in the air cools and condenses near the ground, making late-summer weather especially noticeable to anyone watching for clues about the season ahead. — Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2026 Both are expected to improve in the next two to three weeks as the reservoir fully mixes and cools, city officials said. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cool
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cool
Adjective
  • DeMellier’s founder, Mireia Llusia-Lindh, tapped the residential architect Nicolas Schuybroek to create a space that felt like a stylish home with vintage furniture, photography and architecture books and original work by female artists.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Specializing in a stylish suite of KD55 showerhead filters, the brand has recently been picked up by leading UK retailer Boots.
    — Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • An exuberant pre-dawn sky — filled with large, bright stars, a luminous crescent moon, and blue and white swirls — dominates the landscape featuring a prominent cypress tree and distant hillside village.
    — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The changes include allowing the adoption of distant male relatives raised as commoners to become royals and father future heirs, and letting princesses keep their royal status after marrying commoners.
    — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • This week, curfews were imposed in some cities to help maintain calm.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
  • There’s also a level of anxiety about potential confrontations at the polls, but so far, local elections officials say things are calm.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The instigating weather system bringing the risk to the Southwest is an upper-level low — or a high altitude pocket of cold air, low pressure and spin.
    — Jamie Ross, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The case went cold until 2014, when Stockwell was located and interviewed by cold case detectives.
    — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Available both in the restaurant and the cafe at All Mart’s entrance, this icy dessert has a floral cardamom flavor and a slight crunch from its dusting of pistachios.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But there’s no icy chill to his vision, only the glib confidence that a feel-good montage or a piercing Anohni and the Johnsons ballad will blind us to his film’s lack of human connection.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • As Detroit prepares to welcome thousands of people downtown for Grand Prix weekend, city leaders say public safety has been a months-long effort.
    — Elaine Rojas-Castillo, CBS News, 28 May 2026
  • For sports travelers, that means the pregame meal does not have to be a chain restaurant, and the postgame dinner does not have to be downtown.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • This training staff’s awesome, and all the guys really like this training staff.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • With all of the breaks in action and the partnerships, live betting provides you with awesome opportunities to place in-game wagers.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Recipe Tips for Pizza Dip To make ahead, assemble the dip, cover, and chill for up to one day.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The department also argues that threatening officers with prosecution for protecting their identities and their families chills enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive operations.
    — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cool.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cool. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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