off-color
adjective
off-col·or
ˈȯf-ˈkə-lər 
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
And there was a healthy share of criticism levied for a few areas, including how the men’s team reacted to President Donald Trump’s off-color joke about inviting the women’s gold medal team to the White House.
—
Joe Smith, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
As trade envoy, Andrew became known for practical jokes and off-color remarks, which British diplomats had to tolerate because of his titles.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Some of the more off-color clips have captured more than 12 million views.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
After bursting out of the middle of a snowman, Dusty steps down into the audience to do a little of her famous off-color crowd work.
—Merrill Markoe, Rolling Stone, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off-color
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Joe Smith, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
As trade envoy, Andrew became known for practical jokes and off-color remarks, which British diplomats had to tolerate because of his titles.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Some of the more off-color clips have captured more than 12 million views.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
After bursting out of the middle of a snowman, Dusty steps down into the audience to do a little of her famous off-color crowd work.
—Merrill Markoe, Rolling Stone, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off-color
Cite this Entry
“Off-color.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-color. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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