Kool-Aid

American  

[kool-eyd] / ˈkulˌeɪd /

Trademark.

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

---

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

The duo thinks the Emmy-winning series is a funny “caricature of the industry” — except for, well, one aspect: getting that Kool-Aid movie on track.

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

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

From Slate • Jan. 14, 2026

Reflecting on his decision to leave the company, he said he might have "drunk the Kool-Aid a bit" and had chosen to leave because he no longer felt like "an outsider" in Silicon Valley.

From BBC • Sep. 21, 2025

A wannabe vampire, or maybe a Kool-Aid freak?

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan