keep your cool
Meaning
Stay calm and composed, especially under stress, anger, or pressure.
Origin
From the metaphor of “cool” meaning calm/self-controlled (opposite of “hot” anger). Popularized in 20th‑century slang and later became standard informal English.
Notes
Common, informal advice meaning “stay calm.” Often used in imperative form; can sound a bit direct depending on tone.
Examples
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When the customer started yelling, the manager kept his cool and listened patiently.
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Try to keep your cool during the interview, even if they ask tough questions.
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She kept her cool when her flight was canceled and calmly rebooked a new one.
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I almost lost my temper, but I took a breath and kept my cool.
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If you want to win this game, you have to keep your cool under pressure.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually fixed as “keep your cool,” with possessive matching the person (keep my/his/her/their cool). Can be imperative (“Keep your cool.”) or in other tenses (“She kept her cool.”).
Synonyms
- stay calm
- keep calm
- keep your composure
- remain composed
Antonyms
- lose your cool
- fly off the handle
- lose it