off-color

adjective

off-col·​or ˈȯf-ˈkə-lər How to pronounce off-color (audio)
variants or off-colored
1
a
: not having the right or standard color
b
: being out of sorts
2
a
: of doubtful propriety : dubious
b
: verging on the indecent
off-color remarks

Examples of off-color in a Sentence

the movie was rated PG-13 for some swearing and off-color jokes
Recent Examples on the Web Model Janice Dickinson, who served as a judge for several seasons, has come under fire for her harsh critiques and off-color remarks. Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 1 May 2024 Many Tesla investors were willing to put up with CEO Elon Musk’s widely covered behavior—his split attention with X; off-color remarks, the worst of which have been bigoted; and the lack of clear guidance about when new models would be released—so long as the stock kept up its stellar performance. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024 Sure, high, off-color rivers can be confusing and hard to read, but fish are still biting in these conditions. Tim Romano, Field & Stream, 17 Apr. 2024 However, unfortunately writers' rooms were often off-color places, especially more than 20 years ago. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2024 Those off-color cover versions make for one of the more outrageous bits in a film that rarely takes its ostensibly offensive routines far enough. Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 The prize endorsement came from Paul McCartney, whose pitch was to-the-point and surprisingly off-color. Paul Grein, Billboard, 1 Mar. 2024 In Las Vegas casinos, expect adult humor and off-color jokes. Emily Latimer, Longreads, 25 Jan. 2024 Now entering its 15th season, the current judges are Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, with Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond serving as hosts/presenters, providing (occasionally off-color) commentary. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 20 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'off-color.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-color was in 1854

Dictionary Entries Near off-color

Cite this Entry

“Off-color.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-color. Accessed 10 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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