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colorful

/ˈkələrfəl/

/ˈkələfəl/

Other forms: colorfully

Things that are colorful are brightly colored or have many different colors. A brilliant red cardinal is a colorful bird, while a brown sparrow isn't quite as colorful.

Some nutrition experts recommend eating a colorful diet, including vegetables and fruits of varied colors for optimum health. A colorful bouquet of flowers would be equally varied, perhaps with white daisies, pink roses, blue violets, and yellow carnations. Brilliantly colored things are colorful too, like a tree with orange leaves in the fall. Figuratively, colorful language is rude or coarse, and a colorful group of friends is interesting and varied.

Definitions of colorful
  1. adjective
    having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination
    synonyms: colored, coloured
    crimson, flushed, red, red-faced, reddened
    (especially of the face) reddened or suffused with or as if with blood from emotion or exertion
    bay
    (used of animals especially a horse) of a moderate reddish-brown color
    bichrome, bicolor, bicolored, bicolour, bicoloured, dichromatic
    having two colors
    black, blackened
    (of the face) made black especially as with suffused blood
    blue-flowered
    having blue flowers
    brightly-colored, brightly-coloured
    having a bright color
    buff-colored, buff-coloured
    having a buff color
    chestnut-colored, chestnut-coloured
    having the brown color of chestnuts
    chocolate-colored, chocolate-coloured
    having the color of dark chocolate
    cinnamon colored, cinnamon coloured, cinnamon-colored, cinnamon-coloured
    having the color of cinnamon
    cinnamon-red
    red tinged with cinnamon
    cream-colored, creamy-colored, creamy-white
    having the color of fresh cream
    dark-colored, dark-coloured, dusky-colored, dusky-coloured
    having a dark color
    dun-colored, dun-coloured
    having a dun color
    fawn-colored, fawn-coloured
    having the color of a fawn
    flame-colored, flame-coloured
    having the brilliant orange-red color of flames
    flesh-colored, flesh-coloured
    having a bright red or pinkish color
    garnet-colored, garnet-coloured
    having the color of garnet
    ginger, gingery
    (used especially of hair or fur) having a bright orange-brown color
    gold-colored, gold-coloured
    having the color of gold
    honey-colored, honey-coloured
    having the color of honey
    indigo
    having a color between blue and violet
    lead-colored, lead-coloured
    having the color of lead
    liver, liver-colored
    having a reddish-brown color
    metal-colored, metal-coloured, metallic-colored, metallic-coloured
    having a metallic color
    monochromatic, monochrome, monochromic, monochromous
    having or appearing to have only one color
    calico, motley, multi-color, multi-colored, multi-colour, multi-coloured, multicolor, multicolored, multicolour, multicoloured, painted, particolored, particoloured, piebald, pied, varicolored, varicoloured
    having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly
    neutral-colored, neutral-coloured
    having a color that does not attract attention
    olive-colored, olive-coloured
    having the color of green olives
    orange-colored, orange-coloured, orange-hued
    having the color of ripe oranges
    orange-flowered
    having orange flowers
    pale-colored, pale-hued
    having a pale color
    pastel-colored
    having pale delicate colors
    peach-colored
    having the color of a ripe peach
    polychromatic, polychrome, polychromic
    having or exhibiting many colors
    purple-flowered
    having purple flowers
    red-flowered
    having red flowers
    roan
    (used of especially horses) having a brownish coat thickly sprinkled with white or grey
    rose-colored, rosy-colored
    having a rose color
    rust-colored
    having the brown color of rust
    silver-colored
    having the color of polished silver
    straw-colored, straw-coloured
    having the color of dry straw
    tawny-colored, tawny-coloured
    having a tawny color
    trichromatic, trichrome, tricolor, tricolour
    having or involving three colors
    violet-colored, violet-coloured, violet-flowered
    having a violet color
    violet-purple
    light violet and dark purple
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    uncolored, uncoloured
    without color
    achromatic, neutral
    having no hue
    achromatous
    having little or inadequate color
    achromic, achromous
    having no color
    show more antonyms...
  2. adjective
    having striking color
    colorful autumn leaves”
    synonyms: colourful
    chromatic
    being, having, or characterized by hue
    ablaze
    resembling flame in brilliance or color
    bright, brilliant, vivid
    having striking color
    changeable, chatoyant, iridescent, shot
    varying in color when seen in different lights or from different angles
    deep, rich
    strong; intense
    fluorescent
    brilliantly colored and apparently giving off light
    prismatic
    exhibiting spectral colors formed by refraction of light through a prism
    psychedelic
    having the vivid colors and bizarre patterns associated with psychedelic states
    shrill
    of colors that are bright and gaudy
    vibrant
    of colors that are bright and striking
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    colorless, colourless
    weak in color; not colorful
    achromatic, neutral
    having no hue
    ashen, blanched, bloodless, livid, white
    anemic looking from illness or emotion
    bleached, faded, washed-out, washy
    having lost freshness or brilliance of color
    drab, sober, somber, sombre
    lacking brightness or color; dull
    dulled, greyed
    deprived of color
    blanched, etiolate, etiolated
    (especially of plants) developed without chlorophyll by being deprived of light
    lurid
    ghastly pale
    mealy, pale, pallid, wan
    abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress
    pastelike, pasty
    resembling paste in color; pallid
    prefaded
    (of fabric or clothing) having been given a faded (weathered) appearance by artificial means
    waxen, waxlike, waxy
    having the paleness of wax
    white, whitened
    (of hair) having lost its color
    show more antonyms...
  3. adjective
    striking in variety and interest
    “a colorful period of history”
    “a colorful character”
    colorful language”
    synonyms: colourful
    brave, braw, gay
    brightly colored and showy
    flashy, gaudy, jazzy, showy, sporty
    (used especially of clothes) marked by conspicuous display
    many-sided
    full of variety or interest
    noisy
    attracting attention by showiness or bright colors
    picturesque
    strikingly expressive
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    colorless, colourless
    lacking in variety and interest
    neutral
    lacking distinguishing quality or characteristics
    pale, pallid
    lacking in vitality or interest or effectiveness
    dull
    lacking in liveliness or animation
    show more antonyms...
Pronunciation
US

/ˈkələrfəl/

UK

/ˈkələfəl/

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