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off-color

[awf-kuhl-er, of-] / ˈɔfˈkʌl ər, ˈɒf- /


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.

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But it isn’t returning to its past image, which some people considered inappropriate and off-color by focusing too much on idealized images of beauty.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

According to the New York Times, Trump liked Lewandowski for his “feisty instincts and off-color humor” but he ended up reluctantly firing him after he’d manhandled a reporter.

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2025

But let’s be clear: Plenty of people wrote mean, off-color things that they wouldn’t say out loud.

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2025

Mr. Cook, who no longer works in law enforcement, said that while he was not proud of his texts, it is common for police officers to exchange off-color jokes about their work.

From New York Times ● May 29, 2024

An off-color anecdote, a laugh in the wrong place.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee




Vocabulary lists containing off-color


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