Radical vs. Cool — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 21, 2024
Radical means extreme or far-reaching in effect, while cool refers to being stylish, fashionable, or calm under pressure.
Difference Between Radical and Cool
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Radical refers to something that is extreme or far-reaching in its approach or effects. For example, radical changes involve significant and fundamental shifts from the norm, aiming to address issues at their root. On the other hand, cool denotes a sense of style, fashion, or calmness. A cool person might be seen as trendy, composed, or effortlessly stylish.
In political or social contexts, radical ideas or movements advocate for significant and often revolutionary changes. Radical reformers push for deep, structural changes in society. Meanwhile, in popular culture, cool often describes someone who is admired for their relaxed demeanor or fashionable appearance. Being cool can mean staying calm in stressful situations or having a trendy sense of fashion.
When discussing attitudes, radical implies a strong, often uncompromising stance. A radical activist is dedicated to profound change, sometimes through unconventional methods. Conversely, cool reflects an attitude of ease and nonchalance. A cool demeanor involves staying unruffled and collected, often seen as an attractive quality.
In language use, radical can describe something fundamental or extreme. For example, a radical solution addresses the root cause of a problem. Cool, however, is often used informally to express approval or admiration, such as saying, "That’s a cool idea," to indicate something appealing or impressive.
Comparison Chart
Meaning
Extreme or far-reaching in effect
Stylish, fashionable, or calm
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Context (Political/Social)
Advocates significant change
Relaxed, admired demeanor
Attitude
Strong, uncompromising stance
Ease, nonchalance
Language Use
Describes fundamental/extreme
Informal approval or admiration
Example Usage
Radical reform, radical solution
Cool person, cool idea
Compare with Definitions
Radical
Relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something.
The government proposed radical reforms to address the economic crisis.
Cool
Fashionable or stylish.
She always dresses in a cool, trendy way.
Radical
Extreme or far-reaching.
They took a radical approach to solving the environmental issues.
Cool
Informal term expressing approval or admiration.
That new song is really cool.
Radical
Relating to the root of something; fundamental.
The doctor recommended a radical treatment plan.
Cool
Moderately cold; not warm.
The evening air was cool and refreshing.
Radical
Characterized by departure from tradition; innovative or progressive.
The artist is known for his radical techniques.
Cool
Unfriendly or unenthusiastic.
She gave him a cool reception.
Radical
Arising from or going to a root or source; basic
Proposed a radical solution to the problem.
Cool
Neither warm nor very cold; moderately cold
Fresh, cool water.
A cool autumn evening.
Radical
Departing markedly from the usual or customary; extreme or drastic
A radical change in diet.
Cool
Giving or suggesting relief from heat
A cool breeze.
A cool blouse.
Radical
Relating to or advocating fundamental or revolutionary changes in current practices, conditions, or institutions
Radical politics.
A radical political theorist.
Cool
Marked by calm self-control
A cool negotiator.
Radical
(Medicine) Relating to or being surgery that is extreme or drastic in an effort to eradicate all existing or potential disease
Radical hysterectomy.
Cool
Marked by indifference, disdain, or dislike; unfriendly or unresponsive
A cool greeting.
Was cool to the idea of higher taxes.
Radical
(Linguistics) Of or being a root
A radical form.
Cool
Of, relating to, or characteristic of colors, such as blue and green, that produce the impression of coolness.
Radical
Of, relating to, or arising from a root
Radical hairs.
Cool
Knowledgeable or aware of the latest trends or developments
Spent all his time trying to be cool.
Radical
Arising from the base of a stem or from a below-ground stem or rhizome
Radical leaves.
Cool
Excellent; first-rate
Has a cool sports car.
Had a cool time at the party.
Radical
(Slang) Excellent; wonderful.
Cool
Acceptable; satisfactory
It's cool if you don't want to talk about it.
Radical
One who advocates fundamental or revolutionary changes in current practices, conditions, or institutions
Radicals seeking to overthrow the social order.
Cool
(Slang) Entire; full
Worth a cool million.
Radical
(Mathematics) The root of a quantity as indicated by the radical sign.
Cool
(Informal) In a casual manner; nonchalantly
Play it cool.
Radical
Symbol R An atom or a group of atoms with one unpaired electron.
Cool
To make less warm.
Radical
(Linguistics) See root1.
Cool
To make less ardent, intense, or zealous
Problems that soon cooled my enthusiasm for the project.
Radical
Any of the basic Chinese characters that are combined to form more complex characters.
Cool
(Physics) To reduce the molecular or kinetic energy of (an object).
Radical
Any of the traditional set of basic strokes or groups of strokes that make up Chinese characters and are used to classify and organize them in dictionaries.
Cool
To become less warm
Took a dip to cool off.
Radical
Favoring fundamental change, or change at the root cause of a matter.
His beliefs are radical.
Cool
To become calmer
Needed time for tempers to cool.
Radical
Pertaining to a root of a plant.
Cool
A cool place, part, or time
The cool of early morning.
Radical
Pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something.
Cool
The state or quality of being cool.
Radical
Thoroughgoing; far-reaching.
The spread of the cancer required radical surgery, and the entire organ was removed.
Cool
Composure; poise
"Our release marked a victory. The nation had kept its cool" (Moorhead Kennedy).
Radical
Of or pertaining to the root of a word.
Cool
Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold.
Radical
Produced using the root of the tongue.
Cool
Allowing or suggesting heat relief.
Linen has made cool and breathable clothing for millennia.
Radical
Involving free radicals.
Cool
Of a color, in the range of violet to green.
If you have a reddish complexion, you should mainly wear cool colors.
Radical
(math) Relating to a radix or mathematical root.
A radical quantity; a radical sign
Cool
Of a person, not showing emotion; calm and in control of oneself.
Radical
Excellent; awesome.
That was a radical jump!
Cool
Unenthusiastic, lukewarm, skeptical.
His proposals had a cool reception.
Radical
A member of the most progressive wing of the Liberal Party; someone favouring social reform (but generally stopping short of socialism).
Cool
Calmly audacious.
In control as always, he came up with a cool plan.
Radical
A member of an influential, centrist political party favouring moderate social reform, a republican constitution, and secular politics.
Cool
Applied facetiously to a sum of money, commonly as if to give emphasis to the largeness of the amount.
Radical
A person with radical opinions.
Cool
(informal) Of a person, knowing what to do and how to behave; considered popular by others.
Radical
(arithmetic) A root (of a number or quantity).
Cool
(informal) In fashion and fancy, part of or befitting the most leading trends and habits of the in crowd; originally hipster slang.
Radical
(linguistics) In logographic writing systems such as the Chinese writing system, the portion of a character (if any) that provides an indication of its meaning, as opposed to phonetic.
Cool
(informal) Of an action, all right; acceptable; that does not present a problem.
Is it cool if I sleep here tonight?
Radical
(linguistics)Celtic In Celtic languages, refers to the basic, underlying form of an initial consonant which can be further mutated under the Celtic initial consonant mutations.
Cool
(informal) Very interesting or exciting.
I think astronomy is really cool.
Radical
(linguistics)Semitic linguistics In Semitic languages, any one of the set of consonants (typically three) that make up a root.
Cool
(informal) (followed by with) Able to tolerate; to be fine with.
I'm completely cool with my girlfriend leaving me.
Radical
(chemistry) A group of atoms, joined by covalent bonds, that take part in reactions as a single unit.
Cool
(informal) (of a pair of people) holding no grudge against one another; having no beef.
We're cool, right?
Radical
(organic chemistry) A free radical.
Cool
(sarcastic) (of an act or situation)'' annoying, irritating.
Radical
Given an ideal I in a commutative ring R, another ideal, denoted Rad(I) or , such that an element x ∈ R is in Rad(I) if, for some positive integer n, xn ∈ I; equivalently, the intersection of all prime ideals containing I.
Cool
A moderate or refreshing state of cold; moderate temperature of the air between hot and cold; coolness.
In the cool of the morning
Radical
Given a ring R, an ideal containing elements of R that share a property considered, in some sense, "not good".
Cool
A calm temperament.
Radical
The intersection of maximal submodules of a given module.
Cool
The property of being cool, popular or in fashion.
Radical
(number theory) The product of the distinct prime factors of a given positive integer.
Cool
To lose heat, to get colder.
I like to let my tea cool before drinking it so I don't burn my tongue.
Radical
Of or pertaining to the root; proceeding directly from the root.
Cool
To make cooler, less warm.
Radical
Hence: Of or pertaining to the root or origin; reaching to the center, to the foundation, to the ultimate sources, to the principles, or the like; original; fundamental; thorough-going; unsparing; extreme; as, radical evils; radical reform; a radical party.
The most determined exertions of that authority, against them, only showed their radical independence.
Cool
To become less intense, e.g. less amicable or passionate.
Relations cooled between the USA and the USSR after 1980.
Radical
Belonging to, or proceeding from, the root of a plant; as, radical tubers or hairs.
Cool
To make less intense, e.g. less amicable or passionate.
Radical
Relating, or belonging, to the root, or ultimate source of derivation; as, a radical verbal form.
Cool
(transitive) To kill.
Radical
Of or pertaining to a radix or root; as, a radical quantity; a radical sign. See below.
Cool
Moderately cold; between warm and cold; lacking in warmth; producing or promoting coolness.
Fanned with cool winds.
Radical
A primitive word; a radix, root, or simple, underived, uncompounded word; an etymon.
The words we at present make use of, and understand only by common agreement, assume a new air and life in the understanding, when you trace them to their radicals, where you find every word strongly stamped with nature; full of energy, meaning, character, painting, and poetry.
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.
Radical
One who advocates radical changes in government or social institutions, especially such changes as are intended to level class inequalities; - opposed to conservative.
In politics they [the Independents] were, to use the phrase of their own time, "Root-and-Branch men," or, to use the kindred phrase of our own, Radicals.
Cool
Not retaining heat; light; as, a cool dress.
Radical
A characteristic, essential, and fundamental constituent of any compound; hence, sometimes, an atom.
As a general rule, the metallic atoms are basic radicals, while the nonmetallic atoms are acid radicals.
Cool
Manifesting coldness or dislike; chilling; apathetic; as, a cool manner.
Radical
Specifically, a group of two or more atoms, not completely saturated, which are so linked that their union implies certain properties, and are conveniently regarded as playing the part of a single atom; a residue; - called also a compound radical. Cf. Residue.
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.
Radical
(chemistry) two or more atoms bound together as a single unit and forming part of a molecule
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.
Radical
An atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired electron; in the body it is usually an oxygen molecule than has lost an electron and will stabilize itself by stealing an electron from a nearby molecule;
In the body free radicals are high-energy particles that ricochet wildly and damage cells
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.
Radical
A person who has radical ideas or opinions
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.
Radical
A character conveying the lexical meaning of a logogram
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.
Radical
A sign placed in front of an expression to denote that a root is to be extracted
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.
Radical
(linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed;
Thematic vowels are part of the stem
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.
Radical
(used of opinions and actions) far beyond the norm;
Extremist political views
Radical opinions on education
An ultra conservative
Cool
The quality of being cool;
The cool of early morning
Radical
Markedly new or introducing radical change;
A revolutionary discovery
Radical political views
Cool
Great coolness and composure under strain;
Keep your cool
Radical
Arising from or going to the root;
A radical flaw in the plan
Cool
Make cool or cooler;
Chill the food
Radical
Of or relating to or constituting a linguistic root;
A radical verb form
Cool
Loose heat;
The air cooled considerably after the thunderstorm
Radical
Especially of leaves; located at the base of a plant or stem; especially arising directly from the root or rootstock or a root-like stem;
Basal placentation
Radical leaves
Cool
Lose intensity;
His enthusiasm cooled considerably
Radical
Advocating or based on thorough or complete political or social change.
The radical activist called for an overhaul of the education system.
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
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
Cool
(color) inducing the impression of coolness; used especially of greens and blues and violets;
Cool greens and blues and violets
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
Cool
Used of a number or sum and meaning without exaggeration or qualification;
A cool million bucks
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
Cool
Calm and composed, especially in a difficult situation.
He remained cool under pressure during the interview.
Common Curiosities
What does radical mean?
Radical means extreme or far-reaching in effect or advocating thorough changes.
Can cool describe a person's behavior?
Yes, a cool person is calm, composed, and often seen as stylish.
Is radical always political?
No, radical can describe any fundamental or extreme change, not just political.
How is cool different from radical?
Cool refers to being stylish or calm, while radical denotes extreme or fundamental changes.
Can radical describe a person?
Yes, a radical person advocates for significant and often revolutionary changes.
Does radical have a negative connotation?
It can, especially if the changes are seen as too extreme or disruptive.
What is an example of radical change?
Implementing a completely new education system would be a radical change.
What is an example of cool behavior?
Remaining calm and collected during a crisis is cool behavior.
Can radical describe innovation?
Yes, radical can describe innovative and groundbreaking ideas or methods.
How is radical used in medical terms?
In medical terms, radical often describes treatments that are thorough and extensive.
Is cool always a positive term?
Mostly, yes, but it can also mean unfriendly or unenthusiastic depending on context.
Does cool have a slang meaning?
Yes, in slang, cool means something impressive or fashionable.
How is radical used in science?
In science, radical can refer to a group of atoms behaving as a unit in reactions.
How is cool used in fashion?
Cool in fashion describes someone who is trendy or stylish.
Can cool describe a situation?
Yes, a cool situation is one that is calm and under control.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
