cool
cool — verb
1. to become colder in temperature, or to make something colder — for example, lett
to become colder in temperature, or to make something colder — for example, letting hot soup sit until it is safe to eat, or running a fan over a warm surface.
Brooke waited for the soup to cool before taking a careful sip.
intransitive: [noun] + cool + before [gerund]
The engine needs at least twenty minutes to cool after a long drive.
A gentle breeze from the ocean cooled the sunbathers on the beach.
transitive: cool + [direct object]
Shirin cooled the freshly baked cake on a wire rack before adding icing.
As evening fell, the desert air began to cool very quickly.
intransitive: [natural phenomenon] + cool
- cool gradually
- cool completely
- cool slightly
- cool quickly
- chill
more active — implies putting something in a cold place or adding ice
- refrigerate
more formal and specific to storing food at cold temperatures
- cool down
phrasal verb, interchangeable for gradual loss of heat
Grammar Patterns
cool + [object]
[subject] + cool
cool + down/off
Usage Note
Can be used transitively (cool something) or intransitively (something cools). Often paired with 'down' (cool down) for gradual cooling over time. The verb is distinct from the adjective 'cool,' which describes the state rather than the process.
Common Mistakes
2. if a feeling or emotion such as anger, passion, excitement, or love cools, it be
if a feeling or emotion such as anger, passion, excitement, or love cools, it becomes less strong or intense — for example, an argument fading after people take time apart.
Hari let his anger cool before speaking to his sister again.
emotion + cool + before [action]
Amelia's excitement about the trip cooled once she saw the total cost.
The warmth between the two friends cooled after years of distance.
abstract relationship warmth + cool
Give your anger time to cool off before you send that email.
Kabir hoped his passion for art would never cool as he grew older.
abstract: [passion/enthusiasm] + cool
- anger cools
- passion cools
- excitement cools
- feelings cool
- warmth cools
Grammar Patterns
[emotion] + cool
[emotion] + cool off/down
Usage Note
Subject is always an emotion or feeling (anger, passion, excitement, love, friendship). Often used with 'off' or 'down' (cool off, cool down). Not used transitively in this sense — you cannot 'cool someone's anger' directly; instead, 'the anger cooled' or 'he cooled down.'
Common Mistakes
3. when a country's economy, a market, or a business slows down in its growth or le
when a country's economy, a market, or a business slows down in its growth or level of activity — for instance, a property market that stops climbing quickly after a long period of rising prices.
The housing market has cooled after several years of rapid price increases.
market + cool + after [period of growth]
Hoa noticed that sales in her shop cooled during the winter months.
The national economy cooled last year, so banks became more careful with loans.
economy + cool: financial/economic context
Investors sold shares when the technology sector began to cool.
Rising interest rates caused the once-hot property market to cool off.
cause + [market] + to cool off
- economy cools
- market cools
- sector cools
- sales cool
- growth cools
- slow down
more general and informal, not limited to economic contexts
- decelerate
more formal, common in economic writing
Grammar Patterns
[economy/market/business] + cool
[economy] + cool off
Usage Note
Subject is always the economy, a market, a sector, or business activity. Colloquially interchangeable with 'cool off.' Often found in financial news and economic reports. Not used transitively in this sense.
Common Mistakes
cool down
phrasal verbto become cooler in temperature, or to make something cooler; also, to become calmer after being angry or excited.
After boiling the pasta, let it cool down before adding the dressing.
Beatrix went for a long walk to cool down after the stressful meeting.
cool off
phrasal verbto become cooler, or to become calmer after a period of strong emotion; also used for markets or economies slowing down.
Amani jumped into the pool to cool off on the hot summer afternoon.
The two brothers decided to cool off before continuing their discussion.
cool it
idiomto stop being angry or excited and become calmer — a direct request to someone who is agitated or arguing.
The referee told the players to cool it before the argument turned into a fight.
Mum said, 'You two need to cool it and talk this through calmly.'
cool your heels
idiomto be forced to wait for someone or something, especially when you are eager or impatient.
The director made the reporters cool their heels outside for almost an hour.
Yuna cooled her heels in the lobby while the manager dealt with an emergency.
cool — noun
1. the pleasantly low level of warmth that you feel in a shaded spot or at a certai
the pleasantly low level of warmth that you feel in a shaded spot or at a certain time, often offering relief when conditions are hotter
After a long hike, we sat in the cool of the forest and drank water.
the cool of [place]
The cool of the morning was perfect for a run along the river.
Adaeze opened all the windows to let in the cool of the evening.
The cool of the shade made the afternoon picnic much more pleasant.
- the cool of the evening
- the cool of the shade
- the cool of the night
- the cool of the morning
- heat
the opposite sensory experience
Grammar Patterns
the cool of [place/time]
Usage Note
This noun is uncountable and is almost always used in the singular form with 'the', in the pattern 'the cool of [place/time]'. Common combinations include 'the cool of the evening', 'the cool of the shade', and 'the cool of the night'.
Common Mistakes
2. the ability to remain calm and in control of your feelings, especially when deal
the ability to remain calm and in control of your feelings, especially when dealing with pressure, stress, or conflict
Beatrix kept her cool during the tense business meeting.
keep your cool — remain calm
Ryu lost his cool when the waiter brought the wrong order for the third time.
lose your cool — become angry
Lakan managed to keep his cool even when the power went out during his presentation.
Sivan took a deep breath and tried to keep her cool during the heated debate.
- keep your cool
- lose your cool
- hold your cool
Grammar Patterns
keep/lose/hold your cool
Usage Note
This sense is almost entirely restricted to fixed phrases — 'keep your cool' (stay calm), 'lose your cool' (become angry), and less commonly 'hold your cool'. It cannot be used with numbers ('two cools') or indefinite articles ('a cool').
Common Mistakes
keep your cool
idiomto stay calm and not show strong negative emotions such as anger or worry, even when the situation is difficult or stressful
Rania kept her cool when the car broke down on the highway at midnight.
lose your cool
idiomto suddenly become angry, upset, or unable to control your emotions, often in a way that others notice
The manager lost his cool when the team missed the project deadline.
cool — adjective
1. having a temperature that is somewhere between warm and cold; not hot and not fr
having a temperature that is somewhere between warm and cold; not hot and not freezing cold.
The morning air felt cool against her skin as she stepped outside.
cool + noun: describing air, water, breeze, room, cellar
Élise poured herself a glass of cool water from the fridge.
The cellar stays cool all year, which is perfect for storing wine.
The stone floor felt cool under Walid's bare feet on a warm evening.
- cool air
- cool water
- cool breeze
- cool drink
- stay cool
- keep cool
Usage Note
This is the most basic temperature sense. It differs from sense 2 (PLEASANTLY COLD) in that it is neutral — the coolness may or may not be welcome.
2. giving a comfortable, refreshing feeling of being slightly cold, especially when
giving a comfortable, refreshing feeling of being slightly cold, especially when the weather is hot or you feel too warm.
A cool breeze from the ocean made the hot afternoon much more bearable.
pleasant coolness after heat; often with sea, shade, breeze
Putri wore a light cotton dress to stay cool in the tropical heat.
The children ran through the cool spray of the garden sprinkler.
The hikers sat in the cool shade of a big tree and drank iced tea.
- cool breeze
- cool shade
- cool water
- keep cool
- stay cool
- refreshing
focuses on the pleasant relief from heat
- fresh
can mean pleasantly cool, especially for air
- stuffy
unpleasantly warm and lacking fresh air
Common Mistakes
3. slightly too cold, especially for something that is supposed to be hot or warm,
slightly too cold, especially for something that is supposed to be hot or warm, in a way that is uncomfortable or disappointing.
The soup had gone cool, so she put it back on the stove to heat up.
gone cool = became too cold for the intended use (food/drink)
Defne pulled on a sweater because the room felt a bit cool.
The bath water was already cool by the time he finished his phone call.
The pizza turned cool while they waited for the delivery driver to arrive.
- go cool
- turn cool
- get cool
- cool tea
- cool coffee
- cool soup
Usage Note
This sense describes a temperature that disappoints because it is below what is wanted. It often applies to food, drink, or rooms that should be warm or hot. Frequently used with the verbs 'go' (go cool), 'get' (get cool), or 'turn' (turn cool).
4. able to stay calm and in control of your emotions when facing a difficult, dange
able to stay calm and in control of your emotions when facing a difficult, dangerous, or stressful situation.
Mauricio remained cool during the emergency and called for help right away.
remain / stay / keep cool = stay calm under pressure
The negotiator stayed cool even when both sides began shouting at each other.
Jack took a deep breath and told himself to keep cool before his job interview.
Tara stayed cool during her driving test even after she almost hit a cone.
- keep cool
- stay cool
- remain cool
- cool under pressure
Usage Note
Common in fixed phrases: keep cool, stay cool, remain cool, play it cool (see idiom). Frequently used in advice or instructions to someone who is becoming agitated.
Common Mistakes
5. willing to agree with a plan, suggestion, or situation without any objection or
willing to agree with a plan, suggestion, or situation without any objection or hesitation.
We can meet at six if that is cool with you.
cool with [someone]: used to check or state agreement
Ryo said it was cool for us to use his apartment while he was away.
Tara asked whether the new deadline was cool, and everyone nodded.
If it is cool with your parents, we can take the train instead of driving.
- cool with
- cool for
- be cool
- that's cool
- uncomfortable with
feeling uneasy about a suggestion
Usage Note
Predicative only — cannot go before a noun (❌ a cool plan in this sense). Typically followed by 'with + person' or 'for + person + to-infinitive'. Highly informal; not appropriate for formal writing or business correspondence.
Common Mistakes
6. fashionable, stylish, and admired by others, especially within youth culture or
fashionable, stylish, and admired by others, especially within youth culture or popular trends.
Yasmin thought the vintage jacket was really cool.
informal adjective of approval for style/fashion
That café is the coolest spot in town among university students.
Christopher bought a pair of cool sunglasses from the new store near the station.
Mira thinks indie bands are cooler than pop groups these days.
- really cool
- coolest
- cool place
- cool clothes
- cool look
Usage Note
This sense is distinct from sense 7 (EXCELLENT) in the next batch: sense 6 focuses on fashion, style, and trendiness, while sense 7 expresses general approval ('That movie was so cool!'). Senses 6 and 7 overlap in informal speech but are kept separate here for clarity.
7. an informal word used to show that you think something is of high quality, attra
an informal word used to show that you think something is of high quality, attractive, or enjoyable
Naoko showed us a cool app that translates speech into text instantly.
informal praise: 'a cool [thing]' pattern
Otis booked a table at that cool new sushi place downtown.
The concert was really cool — the band played for nearly three hours.
predicative use: 'is/was really cool'
Antonia thinks the new superhero film is way cooler than the previous one.
comparative form: 'cooler than'
- cool idea
- cool place
- cool gadget
- really cool
- pretty cool
- terrible
the opposite in terms of quality judgment
Usage Note
Heavily used in informal spoken language, especially among younger speakers. Avoid in formal writing or academic contexts, where alternatives like 'excellent,' 'outstanding,' or 'impressive' are more appropriate.
8. good enough or suitable for a particular situation, even if not perfect
good enough or suitable for a particular situation, even if not perfect
Samir checked with his sister: 'Is it cool if I borrow your laptop for the evening?'
'Is it cool if...?' — checking permission informally
Talia said Friday at two was cool with her, so we booked the meeting room.
'cool with [sb]' — expressing agreement
If everyone is cool about the new schedule, we will start next week.
Camille asked whether Tuesday at six would be cool for a study session at the library.
'would be cool for [event]' — checking suitability
- cool with
- cool about
- cool if
- unacceptable
the opposite in terms of suitability
Grammar Patterns
cool with [sb]
cool if [clause]
Usage Note
Common in questions to check if a plan or suggestion is agreeable. The structures 'Is it cool if...?' and 'Are you cool with that?' are frequent conversational patterns. Almost never used in formal written English.
Common Mistakes
9. describes particular shades on the blue-green side of the colour wheel, which te
describes particular shades on the blue-green side of the colour wheel, which tend to produce a calm feeling
The hospital waiting room uses cool colours on the walls to help patients relax.
attributive: 'cool colours' before noun
Amira chose a cool green palette for her living room to match the seaside view.
Interior designers often recommend cool tones for bedrooms to create a restful mood.
'cool tones' — design terminology
Kabir painted his office a cool shade of blue to stay focused during long meetings.
- cool colours
- cool tones
- cool palette
- cold
can describe colour but sounds less natural and has negative emotional associations
- warm
describes colours like red, orange, and yellow that suggest heat and energy
Usage Note
Opposite of 'warm colours' (red, orange, yellow). Used mainly in colour theory, interior design, painting, and fashion contexts. Cool colours are associated with calmness, water, and distance in visual arts.
10. behaving in a way that shows a lack of warmth, kindness, or interest toward othe
behaving in a way that shows a lack of warmth, kindness, or interest toward other people
Christopher's proposal received a cool response from the board, who asked almost no questions.
'a cool response' — describing a reaction
When Niran tried to apologize, Henrik gave him a cool stare and turned away.
The atmosphere at the family dinner was cool after the argument about the inheritance.
'cool atmosphere' — describing a general mood
The waiter gave us a cool look when we asked to split the bill six ways.
'a cool look' — describing a facial expression
- cool reception
- cool response
- cool welcome
- cool stare
- cool atmosphere
Usage Note
Often describes a temporary behaviour, look, or reception (e.g. 'a cool stare,' 'a cool welcome') rather than a person's permanent personality. Close synonyms include 'cold,' 'reserved,' and 'distant,' but 'cool' is usually weaker — it suggests politeness without warmth rather than outright hostility.
11. used immediately in front of a number to stress that an amount of money is unexp
used immediately in front of a number to stress that an amount of money is unexpectedly big
The vintage watch at the auction sold for a cool two hundred thousand dollars.
attributive before amount: 'a cool [sum]' pattern
Bilal earned a cool million from the sale of his tech startup last year.
The developer paid a cool three million for the corner lot near the waterfront.
'a cool [sum]' — placed before the amount
A private collector bought the painting for a cool eight hundred thousand at the auction.
- a cool million
- a cool thousand
- a cool [number] dollars
- a whopping
conveys surprising largeness but can be used with non-money quantities too
- a full
emphasizes completeness rather than impressiveness
Grammar Patterns
cool + [amount]
Usage Note
Always placed directly before the number — never after the amount. The register is informal, often suggesting admiration or mild envy at the size of the sum. This sense is used exclusively with amounts of money, not other quantities such as distance, weight, or time.
Common Mistakes
very calm and relaxed, especially in a stressful or difficult situation where most people would be nervous.
While everyone else was panicking about the power cut, Walid stayed as cool as a cucumber and found the torch.
play it cool
idiomto behave in a calm, relaxed way and not show your true feelings, especially when you are actually interested, excited, or nervous.
Vivek wanted to ask Eitan out but decided to play it cool and wait for him to speak first.
To examine a situation or problem very carefully and slowly before deciding.
Maya took a long, hard look at her budget before buying a car.
Before accepting the job, Diego took a cool look at the company's future.
too cool for school
idiomExtremely fashionable or stylish, often in a way that seems superior.
Sara wore vintage sunglasses and looked too cool for school.
The new art teacher is too cool for school with his leather jacket.
cool — adverb
1. behaving or speaking in a relaxed, confident way that hides any worry or excitem
behaving or speaking in a relaxed, confident way that hides any worry or excitement you feel
Asher tried to play it cool when the interviewer asked a tough question.
fixed phrase: play it cool
When Daichi heard the good news, he played it cool and just smiled.
Élise told herself to take it cool and not rush into a decision.
fixed phrase: take it cool
Dylan tried to act cool when the librarian asked who tore the book.
fixed phrase: act cool
- play it cool
- take it cool
- keep it cool
- act cool
- coolly
the standard adverb form; used in both formal and informal contexts
- calmly
more formal; describes a controlled, untroubled manner
- nonchalantly
describes a deliberately casual attitude, similar to 'cool' but more formal
Grammar Patterns
play it cool
take it cool
keep it cool
Usage Note
Mostly used in fixed spoken phrases. In formal or written English, the adverb 'coolly' is preferred: 'She coolly answered each question.'
Common Mistakes
cool — exclamation
1. a word people say to show they like something, agree with a suggestion, or under
a word people say to show they like something, agree with a suggestion, or understand information they have just heard
Cool! I got a ticket to the concert this weekend.
exclamation showing enthusiasm about good news
A: The train leaves at eight. B: Cool, I will be ready.
Cool! We are having pizza for dinner tonight.
exclamation showing enthusiasm about a plan
A: I finished the report early. B: Cool! Let me take a look.
Usage Note
As a standalone exclamation, "Cool!" was very widely used from the 1980s to the early 2000s. It now sounds slightly dated among younger English speakers, who may prefer alternatives such as "Nice!" or "Awesome!" It can express enthusiasm, agreement, or simply show that you have heard and understood what someone told you.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- coollyadverbB2
- coolnessnounB2
- coolernounB2
- coolishadjectiveC1
- cool-headedadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/4
All five words describe emotional control, but they differ in scope and connotation. Cool suggests impressive self-control without visible effort — a person who stays cool under pressure seems naturally unflappable. Calm is the most general, covering both inner peace and outward behaviour; it can describe someone who is calm by temperament. Composed implies deliberate control — the person actively steadies their emotions, often after an initial shock. Collected suggests the mind stays clear and organised despite chaos, making it ideal for quick decision-making. Unruffled evokes a surface-level serenity: nothing disturbs this person's smooth exterior, though it may or may not reflect inner calm. Example: 'The pilot stayed cool when the warning light came on.' 'She remained composed throughout the criticism, but you could see her hands trembling.' 'He was remarkably collected under cross-examination.'
Common collocations
Nouns
- cool breeze
- cool air
- cool water
- cool colours
- cool response
- cool reception
Adverbs
- coolly
- pretty cool
- really cool
- so cool
Phrases
- cool down
- cool off
- play it cool
- keep your cool
- lose your cool
- cool as a cucumber
- cool-headed
- stay cool
- keep cool
Prepositions
- cool with
- cool about
- cool for
Etymology
Cool comes from Old English cōl, which traces back to the Proto-Germanic root *kōlaz (meaning 'cool, cold'), itself from Proto-Indo-European *gel- ('cold, freeze'). The original sense was purely about temperature — something moderately cold. As early as the Old English period, the word also described a person who was not excited or emotional. The big change happened in 20th-century American English: cool took on social meanings — 'fashionable, admirable, excellent' — first in jazz slang of the 1930s–40s, then spreading into youth culture worldwide. The 'large amount of money' sense (a cool million) appeared in early 20th-century American English, probably from the idea of a clean, round sum.