cooler

noun

cool·​er ˈkü-lər 

1

: one that cools: such as

a

: a container for cooling liquids

b

: refrigerator

2

: lockup, jail

especially : a cell for violent or unmanageable prisoners

3

: an iced drink usually with an alcoholic beverage as a base

Synonyms of cooler

• penitentiary
• jail
• prison

Examples of cooler in a Sentence

The sodas are in the cooler.

plea-bargained to avoid spending time in the cooler

Recent Examples on the Web

The stands serve as sites of passing assembly—roadside water coolers—and repositories of gossip and news. —Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026

Jeep boosted the donor vehicle’s ride height by two inches, equipped it with wider fender flares to accommodate its 33-inch all-terrain tires, and added a custom cooler disguised like an old Apple Macintosh Plus. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2026

The soft texture, ivory tone, and rounded shape of the shoe will make your white jeans look nicer, cooler, and a little more French It girl. —Alex Sales, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2026

Leave your cooler at home and use the free water stations instead. —Alyson Rodriguez, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

cool entry 2 + -er entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cooler

• cooler heads prevail
• the cooler
• wine cooler

Rhymes for cooler

• jeweller
• ruler
• schooler
• schuller
• preschooler
• vestibular

Kids Definition

cooler

noun

cool·​er ˈkü-lər 

: a container for keeping food or drink cool