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 downA 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
Examples of cool in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples on the WebBrian Steinberg, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Mostly cloudy, windy and cooler with rain and a thunderstorm.
—The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024
Don’t expect pool weather in the winter, and bring layers as the desert nights and mornings can be cool.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2024
This mattress protector is designed to keep you cool and dry, ensuring a restful night's sleep.
—Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Paramount already had a strong relationship with Powell thanks to his breakout turn as cool and cocky pilot Hangman in the almost $1.5 billion-grossing Top Gun: Maverick.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024
Keep in mind that even though these gloves are relatively cool and breathable, they are still made of leather.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
The romance is not cloaked in irony; neither protagonist is too cool to embarass themselves in the name of love.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
The innovation could help clouds reflect more light and keep Earth’s surface a little bit cooler.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
After being gently heated and stirred for up to 14 hours, the mixture is filtered and cooled.
—Leah Collins, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
That narrative faded as inflation cooled over the past 18 months or so.
—Bywill Daniel, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
These sheets are soft and durable, providing a comfortable and cooling sleeping experience.
—Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024
After an encouraging cooling last year, the fear now is that inflation may be stuck after January’s, February’s and March’s inflation reports all came in hotter than expected, along with data on the economy generally.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
The dictator's aggressive tone shoots down any prospect of cooling tensions growing between North Korea, Japan, South Korea, and the U.S.
President Biden made an appeal Wednesday from the White House for Kim Jong Un to accept a Japanese proposal for international talks.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 11 Apr. 2024
The Serta Power Chill mattress protector is made with a cooling nylon and spandex cover atop a waterproof layer.
—Kelsey Kunik, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024
The hypoallergenic stainless steel has a natural pleasant cooling sensation to depuff the face or can be warmed up to soothe skin.
—Jenn Barthole, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2024
Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
So people who’ve never had AC suddenly have a clean, efficient device that both heats and cools.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Mar. 2024
On Saturday afternoon, that was Birthday Girl, an unsigned Brooklyn alt-rock band that has the elements of downtown cool nailed.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2024
When Clark, who is white, had done it, it had been widely characterized as a sign of her stone-cold cool.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024
Initially, Hollander was intimidated by Sevigny, because of her impressive résumé and her legacy as the poster child of a certain kind of cool.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024
But there’s a natural cool with Cillian—an ease and a nonchalance about him.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
This iconic 18th-century palazzo, in an enviable location atop the Spanish Steps, offers 104 elegant rooms with a mix of classical Roman romance and contemporary cool.
—Jim Dobson, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
As Earth’s interior cools, plate tectonics may subside, switching off our world’s ability to balance atmospheric carbon.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024
Caroline Silva, ajc, 9 Sep. 2023
The cooling blanket uses a cool-sensing fabric and cotton combination that can quickly absorb human body heat, keeping you cool and sweat-free in the process.
—Rachel Dube, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2023
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
Adjective
But the bosses atop CNN’s new parent were cool to the idea, and scrapped CNN+ within days of completing the transaction.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Mostly cloudy, windy and cooler with rain and a thunderstorm.
—The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024
Don’t expect pool weather in the winter, and bring layers as the desert nights and mornings can be cool.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2024
This mattress protector is designed to keep you cool and dry, ensuring a restful night's sleep.
—Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Paramount already had a strong relationship with Powell thanks to his breakout turn as cool and cocky pilot Hangman in the almost $1.5 billion-grossing Top Gun: Maverick.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024
Keep in mind that even though these gloves are relatively cool and breathable, they are still made of leather.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
The romance is not cloaked in irony; neither protagonist is too cool to embarass themselves in the name of love.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
The innovation could help clouds reflect more light and keep Earth’s surface a little bit cooler.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Verb
The home category is packed with discounts on space-maximizing furniture, cooling gadgets, and cleaning machines.
—Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
After being gently heated and stirred for up to 14 hours, the mixture is filtered and cooled.
—Leah Collins, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
That narrative faded as inflation cooled over the past 18 months or so.
—Bywill Daniel, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
These sheets are soft and durable, providing a comfortable and cooling sleeping experience.
—Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024
After an encouraging cooling last year, the fear now is that inflation may be stuck after January’s, February’s and March’s inflation reports all came in hotter than expected, along with data on the economy generally.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
The dictator's aggressive tone shoots down any prospect of cooling tensions growing between North Korea, Japan, South Korea, and the U.S.
President Biden made an appeal Wednesday from the White House for Kim Jong Un to accept a Japanese proposal for international talks.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 11 Apr. 2024
The Serta Power Chill mattress protector is made with a cooling nylon and spandex cover atop a waterproof layer.
—Kelsey Kunik, Parents, 10 Apr. 2024
The hypoallergenic stainless steel has a natural pleasant cooling sensation to depuff the face or can be warmed up to soothe skin.
—Jenn Barthole, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2024
Noun
Wine, once the height of boomer culture and conspicuous consumption, has lost its cool among young, more frugal and health-conscious potential customers, many of whom prefer cannabis over Cabernet, experts say.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
So people who’ve never had AC suddenly have a clean, efficient device that both heats and cools.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 29 Mar. 2024
On Saturday afternoon, that was Birthday Girl, an unsigned Brooklyn alt-rock band that has the elements of downtown cool nailed.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2024
When Clark, who is white, had done it, it had been widely characterized as a sign of her stone-cold cool.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024
Initially, Hollander was intimidated by Sevigny, because of her impressive résumé and her legacy as the poster child of a certain kind of cool.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024
But there’s a natural cool with Cillian—an ease and a nonchalance about him.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
This iconic 18th-century palazzo, in an enviable location atop the Spanish Steps, offers 104 elegant rooms with a mix of classical Roman romance and contemporary cool.
—Jim Dobson, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
As Earth’s interior cools, plate tectonics may subside, switching off our world’s ability to balance atmospheric carbon.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024
Adverb
The morning will start off cool in the mid to high 60s in metro Atlanta.
—Caroline Silva, ajc, 9 Sep. 2023
The cooling blanket uses a cool-sensing fabric and cotton combination that can quickly absorb human body heat, keeping you cool and sweat-free in the process.
—Rachel Dube, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2023
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
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.
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 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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.Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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