Cool vs. Cold: What's the Difference?
Edited by Sumera Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Published on November 1, 2023
"Cool" refers to a mild, pleasantly reduced temperature, while "cold" indicates an absence or markedly reduced warmth, often uncomfortably so.
Key Differences
Cool and cold are adjectives often used to describe temperature, but with different degrees of intensity.
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
"Cool" is typically a moderate reduction in temperature, suggesting comfort or a refreshing change. For instance, a cool breeze on a warm day can be invigorating. On the other hand, "cold" represents a more significant drop in temperature and can be associated with the absence of warmth. Cold temperatures often require bundling up or finding heat sources.
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
While "cool" can also be used in contexts denoting style or composure (e.g., "He's a cool guy"), "cold" might describe a lack of emotion or distance (e.g., "She gave him a cold stare").
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
It's worth noting that both words possess a certain fluidity in their application. What feels cool to one person might be cold to another, emphasizing the subjective nature of these descriptors.
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
Comparison Chart
Intensity
Moderate reduction in temperature
Marked reduction, often uncomfortably so
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Common Usage
Describing mild temperatures or demeanor
Referring to colder temperatures or aloofness
Aimie Carlson
Nov 01, 2023
Physical Sensation
Slightly chilly, comfortable
Uncomfortably or noticeably cold
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
Cool and Cold Definitions
Cool
Neither warm nor very cold; moderately cold.
The water was cool to the touch.
Harlon Moss
Oct 20, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Cold
Having a low or noticeably reduced temperature.
The weather outside is cold.
Harlon Moss
Oct 20, 2023
Cool
Calmness and composure, especially in stressful situations.
She remained cool under pressure.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 20, 2023
Cold
Lacking affection or warmth; impersonal or distant.
He received a cold reception at the party.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 20, 2023
Cold
Characterized by lifelessness or absence of passion.
The trail for the criminal went cold.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 20, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Cool
Marked by deliberate avoidance of enthusiasm or excitement.
He gave a cool response to the news.
Janet White
Oct 20, 2023
Cold
A viral infection primarily affecting the nose and throat.
She's home with a cold today.
Harlon Moss
Oct 20, 2023
Cool
A slang term often used to express agreement or acceptance.
Can you help me? Yeah, cool.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 20, 2023
Cool
Neither warm nor very cold; moderately cold
Fresh, cool water.
A cool autumn evening.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Being at a temperature that is less than what is required or what is normal
Cold oatmeal.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Feeling no warmth; uncomfortably chilled
We were cold sitting by the drafty windows.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Marked by indifference, disdain, or dislike; unfriendly or unresponsive
A cool greeting.
Was cool to the idea of higher taxes.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Of, relating to, or characteristic of colors, such as blue and green, that produce the impression of coolness.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Knowledgeable or aware of the latest trends or developments
Spent all his time trying to be cool.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Excellent; first-rate
Has a cool sports car.
Had a cool time at the party.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Designating or being in a tone or color, such as pale gray, that suggests little warmth.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Exhibiting or feeling no enthusiasm
A cold audience.
A cold response to the new play.
A concert that left me cold.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
To make less ardent, intense, or zealous
Problems that soon cooled my enthusiasm for the project.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Having lost all freshness or vividness through passage of time
Dogs attempting to catch a cold scent.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Characterized by repeated failure, especially in a sport or competitive activity
The team fell into a slump of cold shooting.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Without advance preparation or introduction
Took the exam cold and passed.
Walked in cold and got the new job.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Composure; poise
"Our release marked a victory. The nation had kept its cool" (Moorhead Kennedy).
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Allowing or suggesting heat relief.
Linen has made cool and breathable clothing for millennia.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
A condition of low air temperature; cold weather
Went out into the cold and got a chill.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Of a color, in the range of violet to green.
If you have a reddish complexion, you should mainly wear cool colors.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
A viral infection characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the upper respiratory passages and usually accompanied by malaise, fever, chills, coughing, and sneezing. Also called common cold, coryza.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
(of a thing) Having a low temperature.
A cold wind whistled through the trees.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
(of the weather) Causing the air to be cold.
The forecast is that it will be very cold today.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
(of a person or animal) Feeling the sensation of coldness, especially to the point of discomfort.
She was so cold she was shivering.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Applied facetiously to a sum of money, commonly as if to give emphasis to the largeness of the amount.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Unfriendly; emotionally distant or unfeeling.
She shot me a cold glance before turning her back.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
(informal) Of a person, knowing what to do and how to behave; considered popular by others.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Dispassionate; not prejudiced or partisan; impartial.
Let's look at this tomorrow with a cold head.
He's a nice guy, but the cold facts say we should fire him.
The cold truth is that states rarely undertake military action unless their national interests are at stake.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
(informal) In fashion and fancy, part of or befitting the most leading trends and habits of the in crowd; originally hipster slang.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Completely unprepared; without introduction.
He was assigned cold calls for the first three months.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
(informal) Of an action, all right; acceptable; that does not present a problem.
Is it cool if I sleep here tonight?
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Unconscious or deeply asleep; deprived of the metaphorical heat associated with life or consciousness.
I knocked him out cold.
After one more beer he passed out cold.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
(informal) Very interesting or exciting.
I think astronomy is really cool.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
(usually with "have" or "know" transitively) Perfectly, exactly, completely; by heart; down pat.
Practice your music scales until you know them cold.
Try both these maneuvers until you have them cold and can do them in the dark without thinking.
Rehearse your lines until you have them down cold.
Keep that list in front of you, or memorize it cold.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
(informal) (followed by with) Able to tolerate; to be fine with.
I'm completely cool with my girlfriend leaving me.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
(usually with "have" transitively) Cornered; done for.
With that receipt, we have them cold for fraud.
Criminal interrogation. Initially they will dream up explanations faster than you could ever do so, but when they become fatigued, often they will acknowledge that you have them cold.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
(informal) (of a pair of people) holding no grudge against one another; having no beef.
We're cool, right?
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
A moderate or refreshing state of cold; moderate temperature of the air between hot and cold; coolness.
In the cool of the morning
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Affecting the sense of smell (as of hunting dogs) only feebly; having lost its odour.
A cold scent
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Distant; said, in the game of hunting for some object, of a seeker remote from the thing concealed. Compare warm and hot.
You're cold … getting warmer … hot! You've found it!
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
To lose heat, to get colder.
I like to let my tea cool before drinking it so I don't burn my tongue.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
(databases) Rarely used or accessed, and thus able to be relegated to slower storage.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
To become less intense, e.g. less amicable or passionate.
Relations cooled between the USA and the USSR after 1980.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
(informal) Without compassion; heartless; ruthless.
I can't believe she said that...that was cold!
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Moderately cold; between warm and cold; lacking in warmth; producing or promoting coolness.
Fanned with cool winds.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Not ardent, warm, fond, or passionate; not hasty; deliberate; exercising self-control; self-possessed; dispassionate; indifferent; as, a cool lover; a cool debater.
For a patriot, too cool.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
A harsh place; a place of abandonment.
The former politician was left out in the cold after his friends deserted him.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Manifesting coldness or dislike; chilling; apathetic; as, a cool manner.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
(medicine) A common, usually harmless, viral illness, usually with congestion of the nasal passages and sometimes fever.
I caught a miserable cold and had to stay home for a week
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Quietly impudent; negligent of propriety in matters of minor importance, either ignorantly or willfully; presuming and selfish; audacious; as, cool behavior.
Its cool stare of familiarity was intolerable.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Applied facetiously, in a vague sense, to a sum of money, commonly as if to give emphasis to the largeness of the amount.
He had lost a cool hundred.
Leaving a cool thousand to Mr. Matthew Pocket.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
A moderate state of cold; coolness; - said of the temperature of the air between hot and cold; as, the cool of the day; the cool of the morning or evening.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Without preparation.
The speaker went in cold and floundered for a topic.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
To make cool or cold; to reduce the temperature of; as, ice cools water.
Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
To moderate the heat or excitement of; to allay, as passion of any kind; to calm; to moderate.
We have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Deprived of heat, or having a low temperature; not warm or hot; gelid; frigid.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
To become less hot; to lose heat.
I saw a smith stand with his hammer, thus,the whilst his iron did on the anvil cool.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Lacking the sensation of warmth; suffering from the absence of heat; chilly; shivering; as, to be cold.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
To lose the heat of excitement or passion; to become more moderate.
I will not give myself liberty to think, lest I should cool.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Wanting in ardor, intensity, warmth, zeal, or passion; spiritless; unconcerned; reserved.
A cold and unconcerned spectator.
No cold relation is a zealous citizen.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Wanting in power to excite; dull; uninteresting.
What a deal of cold business doth a man misspend the better part of life in!
The jest grows cold . . . when in comes on in a second scene.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Affecting the sense of smell (as of hunting dogs) but feebly; having lost its odor; as, a cold scent.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Not sensitive; not acute.
Smell this business with a sense as coldAs is a dead man's nose.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Neither warm or very cold; giving relief from heat;
A cool autumn day
A cool room
Cool summer dresses
Cool drinks
A cool breeze
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Distant; - said, in the game of hunting for some object, of a seeker remote from the thing concealed.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Marked by calm self-control (especially in trying circumstances); unemotional;
Play it cool
Keep cool
Stayed coolheaded in the crisis
The most nerveless winner in the history of the tournament
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Having a bluish effect. Cf. Warm, 8.
He was slain in cold blood after the fight was over.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
(color) inducing the impression of coolness; used especially of greens and blues and violets;
Cool greens and blues and violets
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Psychologically cool and unenthusiastic; unfriendly or unresponsive or showing dislike;
Relations were cool and polite
A cool reception
Cool to the idea of higher taxes
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
The sensation produced by the escape of heat; chilliness or chillness.
When she saw her lord prepared to part,A deadly cold ran shivering to her heart.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Used of a number or sum and meaning without exaggeration or qualification;
A cool million bucks
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
A morbid state of the animal system produced by exposure to cold or dampness; a catarrh.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cool
Fashionable and attractive at the time; often skilled or socially adept;
He's a cool dude
That's cool
Mary's dress is really cool
It's not cool to arrive at a party too early
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
A mild viral infection involving the nose and respiratory passages (but not the lungs);
Will they never find a cure for the common cold?
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
The absence of heat;
The coldness made our breath visible
Come in out of the cold
Cold is a vasoconstrictor
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
The sensation produced by low temperatures;
He shivered from the cold
The cold helped clear his head
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Used of physical coldness; having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration;
A cold climate
A cold room
Dinner has gotten cold
Cold fingers
If you are cold, turn up the heat
A cold beer
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Extended meanings; especially of psychological coldness; without human warmth or emotion;
A cold unfriendly nod
A cold and unaffectionate person
A cold impersonal manner
Cold logic
The concert left me cold
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Having lost freshness through passage of time;
A cold trail
Dogs attempting to catch a cold scent
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Marked by errorless familiarity;
Had her lines cold before rehearsals started
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Without compunction or human feeling;
In cold blood
Cold-blooded killing
Insensate destruction
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Feeling or showing no enthusiasm;
A cold audience
A cold response to the new play
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
Cold
Unconscious from a blow or shock or intoxication;
The boxer was out cold
Pass out cold
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 13, 2023
FAQs
Is "cold" always about temperature?
No, it can describe demeanor, like "a cold attitude."
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
Is "cool" always positive?
Not always. "Cool reception" might mean a lukewarm or unenthusiastic response.
Aimie Carlson
Nov 01, 2023
How does "cool down" differ from "cool"?
"Cool down" is a verb meaning to reduce in temperature or intensity.
Aimie Carlson
Nov 01, 2023
Can "cold" refer to colors?
Yes, "cold colors" are those like blue or gray that suggest coldness.
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
Is "stone-cold" about actual stones?
No, it's an intensifier meaning absolutely or completely cold.
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
Can "cool" describe a person's demeanor?
Yes, like "He's a cool, collected individual."
Sara Rehman
Nov 01, 2023
Is "cold-hearted" about temperature?
No, it describes someone unfeeling or unsympathetic.
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
What's a "cold case"?
It's an unsolved crime, especially one that's no longer being investigated.
Harlon Moss
Nov 01, 2023
How does "cool off" differ from "cool down"?
They're similar, but "cool off" can also mean calming down after anger.
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
Can "cold" be used in positive contexts?
Sometimes, like "cold cash" meaning actual money in hand.
Sara Rehman
Nov 01, 2023
Does "cool as a cucumber" involve cucumbers?
No, it's a phrase meaning very calm and composed.
Aimie Carlson
Nov 01, 2023
What does "cold feet" mean?
It's a phrase meaning to lose confidence or back out of a commitment.
Janet White
Nov 01, 2023
Is "cold snap" a quick movement?
No, it means a sudden and brief spell of cold weather.
Sawaira Riaz
Nov 01, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Sumera SaeedSumera is an experienced content writer and editor with a niche in comparative analysis. At Diffeence Wiki, she crafts clear and unbiased comparisons to guide readers in making informed decisions. With a dedication to thorough research and quality, Sumera's work stands out in the digital realm. Off the clock, she enjoys reading and exploring diverse cultures.
