colorful

adjective

col·​or·​ful ˈkə-lər-fəl 

1

: having striking colors

colorful scenery

2

a

: full of variety or interest

a colorful description

b

of speech : rude, offensive

… he had begun to gamble and use colorful language …

—Yohannes Edemariam

colorfully

ˈkə-lər-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

colorfulness

ˈkə-lər-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• chromatic
• colored
• kaleidoscopic
• motley
• multicolored
• multihued
• polychromatic
• polychrome
• prismatic
• rainbow
• varicolored
• varied
• variegated
• various

Examples of colorful in a Sentence

I wore a colorful outfit.

He gave a colorful account of his travels.

Recent Examples on the Web

By Jemima McEvoy, Forbes Staff Ed Stack stands with his arms crossed, surveying the wall of colorful basketball shoes near the entrance of Dick’s Sporting Goods’ House of Sport in Pittsburgh’s Ross Park Mall. —Jemima McEvoy, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024

Take in the beauty of creative floats, colorful costumes, and live music from high school marching bands. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 22 Dec. 2024

Published on December 22, 2024 Photo : Paul Barnaby The home is introduced via a gated courtyard hosting a colorful Hunt Slonem rabbit scupture and a couple of bright red Cracking Art meerkats. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 22 Dec. 2024

With kids becoming a powerful segment of the booming $164-billion global skin-care industry, brands have been catering to them with new products packaged in colorful, eye-catching bottles and jars. —Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

color entry 1 + -ful entry 1

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing colorful

• colorful character

Kids Definition

colorful

adjective

col·​or·​ful ˈkəl-ər-fəl 

1

: having noticeable colors

2

: full of variety or interest

a colorful personality

colorfully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

colorfulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun