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 of colorful

• 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 colorful lizards are acclimatized for cool mountain places, like the Mules. —Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 22 Nov. 2025

Cream Cheese And Pepper Jelly Combo, Explained Pepper jelly is a colorful, slightly spicy condiment made by turning seasonal peppers into (as expected) a spreadable jelly. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025

But outside of the collaboration space, Nike has released numerous general release looks that call back to the 2000s heyday of patent leather pairs, namely the energy surrounding A Bathing Ape’s colorful Bape Sta styles. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 22 Nov. 2025

The Raging Grannies were a mainstay at antiwar and antinuclear demonstrations in the early 2000s, easily recognizable with their colorful costumes and witty songs. —Anya M. Galli Robertson, The Conversation, 21 Nov. 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