colorable

adjective

col·​or·​able ˈkə-lə-rə-bəl 

-lər-ə-, 

ˈkəl-rə-

1

: seemingly valid or genuine

a colorable claim in law

2

: intended to deceive : counterfeit

colorable and false pretenses

colorably

ˈkə-lə-rə-blē 

-lər-ə-, 

ˈkəl-rə-

adverb

Examples of colorable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The kids' meal features a four-pack of crayons, a colorable crown and a meal bag. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026

Likewise, knots that aren’t three-colorable stay that way. — Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026

If that has a familiar ring, Democrats can thank lawfare for the end of honorable resignation in the face of colorable criminal charges as a political norm. — The Editors, National Review, 27 Sep. 2024

The lesson here for litigators is that if a UPEPA special motion is at least colorable and not asserted for purposes of delay, that motion should usually be brought. — Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023

Lunchtime can double as an art session or geography lesson with this colorable world map tablecloth. — Catherine Garcia, The Week, 14 Nov. 2022

There are colorable constitutional objections to each of these proposals. — Ian MacDougall, Harper’s Magazine , 28 Sep. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, from colurer "to color entry 2, give the appearance (of), cover up" + -able -able

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

colorable

adjective

col·​or·​able

: having an appearance of truth, validity, or right

if a colorable claim — or better — can be pleaded

—D. F. Kolb and M. P. Carroll

colorably adverb