No single cool synonym works everywhere, because cool does six jobs. On a breezy evening it means chilly or crisp. About a person in a crisis it means calm or composed. Texting a pal, it means awesome, and about a jacket it means stylish.
It can also mean unfriendly (a cool welcome) or simply fine with a plan (I am cool with that). Each meaning has its own word group below, with notes on which ones are slang.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
chilly, calm, awesome, stylish, aloofPart of speech
Adjective (also a verb: cool the soup)Most formal
composed, unflappable, reservedMost casual
rad, sick, chillAntonyms
warm, nervous, uncool, lameWatch out
Cold is stronger than cool. A cool day is pleasant; a cold day is not.
Six senses and the words that fit
| When cool means | Try | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A bit cold | chilly, crisp, fresh | A crisp morning, perfect for a run. |
| Calm | calm, composed, laid-back | The pilot stayed composed. |
| Impressive | awesome, neat, amazing | That trick was amazing. |
| Fashionable | stylish, trendy, chic | She wore a stylish coat. |
| Unfriendly | aloof, distant, frosty | We got a frosty reply. |
| Okay with it | fine, all right, on board | I am fine with Friday. |
How much praise: neat to incredible
When cool is slang for good, the chip strip shows how far you can turn it up. Neat is mild, a bit old-school and friendly. Nice is polite. Great is clear praise. Awesome is the closest match in casual talk. Incredible says you can barely believe it.
Slang words like rad and sick shift with age group and place. Rad sounds a little dated; sick as praise mostly belongs to younger speakers. Neither belongs in an essay or a work report.
Cool synonym picks for formal writing
Cool is fine in speech, but an essay or report usually needs something more exact.
- Weather: mild, temperate, fresh.
- A person under stress: composed, poised, unflappable.
- An idea or product: innovative, impressive, striking.
- A reaction: reserved, restrained, lukewarm.
For more adjectives sorted by tone, browse describing words.
Swaps in sentences
- It is getting cool outside becomes it is getting chilly outside.
- He stayed cool during the interview becomes he stayed composed during the interview.
- Your new bike is so cool becomes your new bike is awesome.
- The band has a cool look becomes the band has a slick look.
- The audience gave a cool response becomes the audience gave a lukewarm response.
- Are you cool with pizza becomes are you okay with pizza.
A text to a friend: "Cool, cool, cool, see you then." Fine between friends. To a client, the same idea becomes: "That works for me, see you on Tuesday."
Cool as a verb
As a verb, cool means to lower heat or to calm a feeling. For food and drink, try chill or refrigerate. For anger or excitement, try calm, ease or dampen. Cool down and cool off mean the same thing; cool off is a little more casual and is often said about tempers.
- Cool the drinks before the guests arrive becomes chill the drinks before the guests arrive.
- Interest in the plan cooled becomes interest in the plan faded.
Traps with this word
Cold is harsher than cool, both for weather and for people. Lazy is not the same as laid-back: one avoids work, the other just stays relaxed. Hot as slang can mean popular, attractive or stolen, so it is not a safe stand-in for cool. And chill as an adjective (he is so chill) is very informal.
Opposites by sense
For temperature, the opposite is warm or hot. For calm, it is nervous, flustered or rattled. For unfriendly, it is warm or friendly. For the slang sense, people say uncool, lame or boring.
- The tea had gone warm by the time I drank it.
- She looked flustered when the projector failed.
- Honestly, the ending was a bit lame.
Frequently asked questions
Which slang words mean cool?
Another word for cool in slang can be awesome, sweet, neat or rad. Awesome is the safest across age groups.
Which cool synonym suits formal writing?
It depends on the sense. Use composed for a calm person, mild for weather and impressive for an idea.
How would you describe a cool person in other words?
Laid-back, easygoing or composed describe the calm side. Stylish or confident describe the trendy side.
Is chilly the same as cool?
Chilly is a step colder and a little less pleasant. Cool weather can feel nice; chilly weather makes you reach for a sweater.
Which antonyms of cool fit each sense?
Warm for temperature, nervous for calm, friendly for distant, and uncool or lame for the slang sense.
Can I write cool in an essay?
Only for temperature. For praise, choose a precise word such as impressive, original or striking.