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

Keeping reading for others, including this leather-like tissue box cover, a colorful duo of art glass vases, Jonathan Adler’s many-faced Muse candle, and more. —Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2025

For the rest of the visual the pair croon back-to-back and lounge side-by-side in the giant spider web in a futuristic landscape filled with piles of glitchy monitors and colorful flashing lights. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025

It’s lined with colonial-era buildings and colorful cottages. —Laura Begley Bloom, AFAR Media, 10 Mar. 2025

Palette Dim Sum, a Chinese-Cantonese restaurant that serves colorful dim sum and wok dishes, is coming to The Market Place in Tustin, replacing a shuttered Wokcano. —Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register, 10 Mar. 2025

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