coloring

noun

col·​or·​ing ˈkə-lə-riŋ 

1

a

: the act of applying colors

b

: something that produces color or color effects

c(1)

: the effect produced by applying or combining colors

(2)

: natural color

(3)

: complexion, coloration

d

: change of appearance (as by adding color)

2

: influence, bias

3

: color sense 8

4

: timbre, quality

Synonyms

• pigment
• dye
• color
• colorant
• stain

Examples of coloring in a Sentence

Her favorite activities include playing with stuffed animals and coloring.

Our product contains no artificial coloring or flavoring.

She added some blue food coloring to the icing.

This scarf will look great with your coloring.

He has very light coloring.

Recent Examples on the Web

Gina Marie Bakery, based in Waterbury, announced the voluntary recall on September 10 over the potential undeclared presence of almonds, sesame and several food colorings—namely Red 40, Red 3, Blue 1, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. —Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025

The new species was identified by its DNA, bone structure, body proportions, fin shape, head shape, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025

Red, yellow, and white onions all have a similar shelf life once they’ve been cut, but Brown notes that red onions in particular tend to lose some of their coloring the longer they are stored. —Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2025

Admission is free and activities include inflatables, carnival games, coloring and beating. —Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing coloring

• coloring book

Kids Definition

coloring

noun

col·​or·​ing ˈkəl-(ə-)riŋ 

1

: the act of applying colors

2

: something that produces color

food coloring

3

: the effect produced by applying or combining colors

4

: complexion sense 1, coloration

5

: change of appearance (as by adding color)