colorants

plural of colorant
as in pigments
a substance used to color other materials in ancient times, a mollusk was used to produce a rich purple colorant for clothing and linens

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of colorants There was a push to use American dyes and colorants to stave off a deep economic recession—there wasn’t really any other choice—but the cold commercial reality dumped water all over that flag-waving parade. Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026 But that other supplier would have to try to reverse engineer that particular dye — formulas for dyes and colorants were, in spite of being in service to the war effort, still proprietary — and backward engineering color from a finished product is a crapshoot. Kory Stamper, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 Founded in Brazil by Ailton Pereira, the process converts agro-industrial waste into textile colorants designed to reduce reliance on petrochemical dyes. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026 Twenty-six other states have followed in California’s footsteps with legislation — some signed into law, others still in progress — that would either ban, restrict or require labels for artificial colorants. Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026 Every Rae product remains vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, and free from harmful fillers, colorants, and artificial preservatives. Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 16 Dec. 2025 But the replacements are still made of complex materials that include additives like colorants; the chemicals can react in ways the companies may not intend or understand, Boucher says. Matt Fuchs, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colorants
Noun
  • Compared to conventional pigments that reflect light, Quantum Light’s pigments absorb and emit light with extraordinary color purity and optical intensity.
    Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 20 July 2026
  • The researchers took samples of pigments from both ancient cave paintings and the surfaces of nearby unpainted rocks inside 11 caves.
    Tom Metcalfe, Scientific American, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • All of their yoga mats are free of dyes, toxic chemicals and phthalates.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
  • Adding dyes and microparticles to the water and illuminating them with lasers helped capture the flows on high-speed video.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
Noun
  • Between the endless array of nail shapes, colors, and designs, a manicure is one of the easiest ways to refresh your look.
    Alexis Berger, InStyle, 25 July 2026
  • There are also vibrant multicolor prints paired with bold, solid colors, like a pair of colorful shorts matched to a pink button-down shirt with a subtle, decorative pocket.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Colorants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colorants. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster