# cool off

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cool-off
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to become less hot

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to become colder or less hot after being in the sun or exercising.

For teachers: to undergo a reduction in temperature. Intransitive or transitive use.

- We went for a swim in the lake to cool off after our long hike.
- The engineers had to wait for the turbine to cool off completely before they could safely perform the necessary maintenance.

Usage: Can be used without an object ('the soup is cooling off') or with one ('the rain cooled the city off').

### 2. to become calm

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to stop feeling angry or excited after a stressful situation.

For teachers: to regain emotional composure or reduce the intensity of one's temper.

- Give him a few minutes to cool off before you try to talk to him again.
- The manager suggested that both employees take a short break to cool off before continuing the mediation session.

Teaching tip: This is a very common and safe idiom to use in both professional and personal contexts.

### 3. to lose interest

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

to stop being excited about an idea, a plan, or a person.

For teachers: to experience a decline in enthusiasm or interest, often followed by the preposition 'on'.

- I was excited about the trip at first, but I've cooled off on the idea lately.
- Investors have cooled off on the tech sector recently, preferring to put their capital into more stable, traditional industries.

Usage: Usually takes the preposition 'on' when followed by an object.

## Examples

- Let's wait for the soup to cool off before eating.
- After their big argument, he went for a long walk to cool off and clear his head.
- The central bank implemented new policies to help the economy cool off after a period of dangerously rapid growth and high inflation.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: contrast with 'cool down', which is almost identical but more common for physical exercise; 'cool off' often implies a return to a comfortable state from an uncomfortably hot one.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.