Kool-Aid

American  

[kool-eyd] / 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

Example Sentences

Maybe they really could pull off a Kool-Aid movie.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 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

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

People who know exactly what they’re doing, and they haven’t drunk the Kool-Aid.

From Slate • Jun. 4, 2024

When Christmas came my mother locked my ailing brother and sister and me inside the house, while she went about the township begging for cookies, Kool-Aid and other foods to keep us alive.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane