SKIP TO CONTENT

off-color

Something that's off-color is offensive or vulgar. Your parents might stop inviting your uncle for Thanksgiving after years of his embarrassing, off-color jokes.

You'll most often find the adjective off-color describing jokes that make some listeners laugh, but offend or disgust others. Standup comedians are frequently famous for their off-color humor, while politicians caught telling off-color stories can face serious career difficulties. Before American English adopted off-color to mean "in questionable taste," this adjective was used to describe faulty gemstones.

Definitions of off-color
  1. adjective
    in violation of good taste even verging on the indecent
    “an off-color joke”
    synonyms: indelicate, off-colour
    tasteless
    lacking aesthetic or social taste
  2. adjective
    humorously vulgar
    off-color jokes”
    synonyms: bawdy, ribald
    dirty
    (of behavior or especially language) characterized by obscenity or indecency
  3. adjective
    somewhat sick or unwell
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘off-color'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE

Look up off-color for the last time

Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.

VocabTrainer - Vocabulary.com's Vocabulary Trainer