What does "coolness" mean?
Moderate chilliness.
Coolness
/ˈkuːlnəs/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Moderate chilliness.
- Grammar: coolness is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: absolute zero, aloofness, anesthesia, aplomb.
- Useful contrasts: acute anger, animalistic energy, dramatic energy.
- Usage evidence: His coolness has alienated his friends.
How to use "coolness"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "coolness" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "coolness" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "coolness" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "coolness" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "coolness" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "absolute zero" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "coolness", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Moderate chilliness. uncountable, usually
"I know a place of all sweet coolnesses; / a little island, like an emerald, set / in the clear argent of a river, that is / Itself a shining net"
- 2 a lack of affection or enthusiasm wordnet
- 3 Calmness, confidence, or level-headedness. uncountable, usually
"De Coude was the personification of coolness—was he not the best shot in France?"
- 4 fearless self-possession in the face of danger wordnet
- 5 Conflict or hostility or an instance of such that stands in contrast to expected friendliness or interest. countable, dated, usually
"In the midst of enemies, Irish and English, Court treacheries and coolnesses, Strafford depended solely upon Laud, and no one other support."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 the property of being moderately cold wordnet
- 7 Indifference or an instance of indifference; lack of friendliness or interest not necessarily rising to hostility. uncountable, usually
"A regulatory backstop would still be needed, however, because the problem can cut both ways – that is, the utility can also exhibit coolness toward aspects of water conservation. In Kingston, members of [the] local council felt that they lacked sufficient influence over the utility (a municipal corportation) to advance a conservation agenda. At the same time, utility staff had difficulty harmonizing water rates due to council resistance (see Chapter 4)."
- 8 calm and unruffled self-assurance wordnet
- 9 Social advantage or enviability, typically due to traits like popularity, confidence, skill, or fashion. often, slang, uncountable, usually
"When I argue that Beverly Hills, 90210 makes use of 'An Americana Cool,' then I mean to propose that the show makes use of a wide variety of culturally codified coolness(es) that is/are anchored in a mainstream American symbology, in an Americana of patterned American styles, gestures, and codes."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
acute angeranimalistic energydramatic energyemotional sweating
Example
"His coolness has alienated his friends."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "coolness"?
Common synonyms include: absolute zero, aloofness, anesthesia, aplomb, appeal, assurance.
How do you use "coolness" in a sentence?
His coolness has alienated his friends.
How do you pronounce "coolness"?
Pronounced /ˈkuːlnəs/.
Etymology
From Middle English colnes, colnesse, from Old English cōlnes, cœ̄lnes, cēlnes (“coolness; cool air, breeze”), from Proto-West Germanic *kōlinassī, equivalent to cool + -ness. Cognate with Middle High German kuolnisse, küelnisse (“cooling, coolness”).