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 colorful Carrollton restaurant has a small dining room and a large, airy patio, much like the Taco Heads location across Montgomery Street from Dickies Arena. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025

Two of her most talked about looks of the evening included an out-of-this-world look by Thom Browne that appeared to be a colorful, textured pencil dress with mosaic prints and puffy sleeves. —Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

Those involved in the parade rolled by in a colorful blur on roller skates, performed flag dances and wielded bubble makers. —Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 8 Sep. 2025

For drawing and illustration, the Asus ProArt PZ13 makes the list for its 21-hour battery life and the Creator Hub feature for high-quality, colorful displays. —Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 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