1 A2 neutral
To become less hot, or to allow something to reach a lower temperature.
"Let the soup cool down before you eat it or you'll burn your tongue."
separable
cool down
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To become or make something less hot, or to become calmer after anger or excitement.
In plain English
To get less hot, or to stop feeling angry or upset.
What does "cool down" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 idiomatic neutral
To become calmer after feeling angry, excited, or upset.
"Give him a few minutes to cool down before you try to talk to him."
inseparable
3 B1 neutral
To do gentle exercise after a strenuous workout to let the body recover gradually.
"Always spend five minutes cooling down after a run to prevent muscle soreness."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move downward in temperature.
Actually means
To get less hot, or to stop feeling angry or upset.
Usage tip
Used for both literal temperature (food, engines, bodies after exercise) and figurative emotional states. In sports and fitness, 'cool-down' (noun) refers to gentle exercise done after a workout to let the body recover gradually.
Words that pair with "cool down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
engine temper soup body anger workout argument
How to conjugate "cool down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cool down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cools down
he/she/it
Past simple
cooled down
yesterday
Past participle
cooled down
have + pp
-ing form
cooling down
continuous
Hear "cool down" in the wild
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Other ways to say "cool down"
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Keep exploring
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