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

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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
  • Anthocyanins are one type of flavonoid found in berries and are responsible for those deep red, purple, and blue pigments.
    Kathleen Felton, Time, 9 June 2026
  • Instead, color pigments are deposited on the surface, creating delicate highlights, or restoring luster to hair that has faded between washes.
    Giulia Lenzi, Vogue, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • The survey also found majority support in all parties for government interventions including testing additives for safety before they can be included in food products, banning artificial dyes, requiring warning labels, and ordering companies to reduce the amount of sugar and salt in their foods.
    Sarah Todd, STAT, 3 June 2026
  • Film does too, through chemistry, exposure, dyes and paper.
    Douglas Goodwin, The Conversation, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • Trade drab colors with 44 percent off floral prints, and bulky hoodies for something a little more lightweight to beat those nightly chills and airplane cabin temperatures—this one by Faherty is 25 percent off for a limited time.
    Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
  • The spectral figures, marked by their sarong colors, imagined Zodiacs, doshas and more, operate haunto-structurally.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026

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“Colorants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colorants. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

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