variants
or off-colored
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
the movie was rated PG-13 for some swearing and off-color jokes
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of off-color
Yellowing can happen with some topcoats when they’re cured, giving nails an unwanted, slightly off-color tint.
—
Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2025
Overwatering can also result in stunted growth and off-color (yellow) foliage in annuals.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
The movie’s off-color humor wouldn’t fly today, but its rebellious spirit remains hilariously defiant — a refreshingly rude retort to the niceties of family films and their cringey feel-good messages.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 25 July 2025
Gunn’s work at Marvel was known for its blaring needle drops and an off-color snark that lined up with the franchise’s self-aware comedic stylings.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-color
Morgan Fargo, Vogue, 10 Sep. 2025
Overwatering can also result in stunted growth and off-color (yellow) foliage in annuals.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
The movie’s off-color humor wouldn’t fly today, but its rebellious spirit remains hilariously defiant — a refreshingly rude retort to the niceties of family films and their cringey feel-good messages.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 25 July 2025
Gunn’s work at Marvel was known for its blaring needle drops and an off-color snark that lined up with the franchise’s self-aware comedic stylings.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-color
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-color
Adjective
-
Patients accused Heaps of groping them, performing unnecessarily invasive examinations and making suggestive comments.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
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The report noted some mottling and nodules in the liver and a spleen with one hypoechoic mass and multiple similar nodules suggestive of hemangiosarcoma.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Dishes range from approachable American classics like burgers, wings and pizzas to items with more international flair such as Korean rib eye, shiitake garlic noodles and spicy za’atar hummus.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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For a spicy kick, add Sriracha to the egg wash.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The most massive stars are going to be hotter, larger, bluer, more luminous, but also shorter-lived than the less massive stars.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
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The Olympic torch is a blue-green shade, and the Paralympic torch is gold.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off-color.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-color. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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