Kool-Aid

American  

[kool-ayd] / ˈkulˌeɪd /

Trademark.

1. a brand name for a powdered mix used to make a sugary, fruit-flavored drink.

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noun

1. a drink made from this mix.

idioms

1. drink the Kool-Aid, to support or believe in something in a blindly enthusiastic way.

   A level-headed reporter, he didn’t drink the Kool-Aid on the tax issue.

Etymology

Origin of Kool-Aid

Kool-Aid def. 3 in reference to the 1978 Jonestown Massacre, in which a cult leader supposedly convinced followers to drink a poisoned beverage

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Kool-Aid

Yet listen to his New York Times podcast Monday and the Kool-Aid was already wearing off.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Kraft Heinz, known for Heinz Ketchup, Kraft Mac and Cheese, Jell-O and Kool-Aid brands, reported a year-over-year sales decline for the ninth straight quarter, as sales in North America offset continued growth in overseas markets.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 11, 2026

With billions of dollars at stake, they just couldn’t overcome the temptation to drink their own Kool-Aid.

From Slate ● Jan. 14, 2026

Bowling coach Jeetan Patel was drinking the Kool-Aid when it was put to him Bashir had become unselectable during the third Test in Adelaide.

From BBC ● Dec. 24, 2025

Harry was mixing up a pitcher of cherry Kool-Aid, the kids’ favorite.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

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