Meaning & use
cool
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Having a temperature that is pleasantly or moderately low, not hot.
Grammar: Takes -er/-est: a cool evening, the coolest room; compare hot and cold for stronger extremes.
Patterns
- cool water
- a cool day
- keep something cool
Keep the milk in a cool place.
A cool breeze came through the window.
We sat in the shade to stay cool.
adjectivecomparable
Calm and controlled, especially when facing pressure or danger.
Grammar: Often before a noun or after linking verbs: stay cool under pressure; cooler than nervous implies less upset.
Patterns
- stay cool
- remain cool under pressure
- a cool head
She stayed cool and answered every question.
Pilots train to keep a cool head.
He gave a cool reply despite the interruption.
adjectivecomparableinformal
Fashionable, attractive, or impressive in an informal way.
Grammar: Common in speech and advertising; can compare informally as cooler.
Patterns
- look cool
- a cool place to hang out
- cool clothes
That jacket looks really cool.
The café has a cool design and quiet music.
He bought a cool new phone case.
adjectivenot comparableinformalslang
Used informally to show approval, agreement, or that something is acceptable.
Grammar: Often stands alone as a reaction: “Cool!”; not used with very in this sense.
Patterns
- That's cool.
- cool with something
- Cool!
“I can pick you up at seven.” “Cool, thanks.”
She is cool with changing the plan.
Cool, the tickets are cheaper online.
Word forms
| comparative | cooler |
|---|---|
| superlative | coolest |
| third person singular | cools |
| past tense | cooled |
| past participle | cooled |
| -ing form | cooling |
Common combinations
- cool down
- Let the soup cool down before you taste it.
- stay cool
- Stay cool and explain what happened clearly.
- cool head
- A negotiator needs a cool head.
- really cool
- The museum exhibit was really cool.
Synonyms and how they differ
- chilly
- Chilly is colder and less pleasant than cool; cool can be comfortable.
- calm
- Calm is close for emotions, but cool often adds stylish self-control under pressure.
- stylish
- Stylish is broader; cool adds informal approval and trendiness.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: cool or cold? cool or chill?
cool vs cold
Cold is much lower in temperature and often uncomfortable; cool is milder.
cool vs chill
Chill can be a noun or verb meaning cold feeling or to relax; cool is the usual adjective for moderate low temperature.
Practice
“Cool” in “Stay cool during the exam” is closest to ______.
Choose one answer.
The phrase means remain calm under pressure; “slightly cold” is the temperature sense, while stylish and unfriendly do not fit exam stress.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cool”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.