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Synonyms

cooler

American  
[koo-ler] / ˈku lər /

noun

  1. a container or apparatus, as an insulated chest, in which something may be cooled or kept cool.

  2. anything that cools or makes cool; refrigerant.

  3. an air conditioner.

  4. a tall drink, consisting of liquor, soda, and a fruit garnish.

  5. water cooler.

  6. Slang. the cooler, jail.

    He was in the cooler for three months for petty theft.

  7. Ice Hockey Slang. penalty box.

cooler British  
/ ˈkuːlə /

noun

  1. a container, vessel, or apparatus for cooling, such as a heat exchanger

  2. a slang word for prison

  3. a drink consisting of wine, fruit juice, and carbonated water

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cooler

First recorded in 1565–75; cool + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Standing awkwardly on the outside of someone else’s water cooler.

From Slate • Apr. 12, 2026

Monday will be slightly warmer but still cooler than normal, according to the weather service.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

It’s a disorienting sight for newcomers who have just passed gas pumps and rows of soda and Slim Jims and tugged on various cooler doors in search of the secret handle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

In the end, cooler heads prevailed – at least for now.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

But Benji didn’t have a bagged lunch in the cooler.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.