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Definitions

colorful

[kuhl-er-fuhl] / ˈkʌl ər fəl /
ADJECTIVE
brilliant, intensely hued
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bright flashy gaudy hued multicolored rich splashy vibrant vivid
WEAK
chromatic florid gay intense jazzy kaleidoscopic loud motley picturesque prismatic psychedelic showy variegated
Antonyms
STRONGEST
dull pale plain simple weak
WEAK
boring colorless drab dreary faded lifeless uncolored uncolorful uninteresting
ADJECTIVE
full of life, interesting
Synonyms
STRONGEST
distinctive glamorous lively rich unusual vivid
WEAK
brave characterful flaky gay graphic jazzy picturesque stimulating
Antonyms
STRONGEST
common dull normal standard weak
WEAK
boring colorless drab dreary faded lifeless plain uncolored uncolorful uninteresting

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She buries some of her most colorful observations in the endnotes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Rubino said she’ll tie the clothing items up with a colorful ribbon to “make sure it fits with the aesthetic.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

Kid Cudi is lounging in a colorful attic much like the one in his childhood home in Cleveland.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Set in downtown LA, it’s an eclectic, colorful boutique hotel with vintage brick details and excellent service.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

The colorful laminated spines along the shelves shine white with the glare, making me squint as I push my cart of books down the aisle.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.