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

• colored
• varied
• rainbow
• vibrant
• 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

The 13-minute show featured over 250 drones creating colorful animations in the sky over Park Avenue in downtown San Jose. —Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025

The black chord piece featured six gold fish — with various colorful gems as eyes — as well as a small jade-colored fish. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Grand Slam winners get a colorful Grand Slam Award sticker. —Arkansas Online, 12 Aug. 2025

Heading out in the evening on a chiva, a colorful party bus that travels throughout the city, is one of the most popular ways to celebrate. —Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 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