color
color — noun
1. The look of things that comes from how they take in or send back light; what mak
The look of things that comes from how they take in or send back light; what makes you see something as red, blue, yellow, or green instead of just black and white.
Aiko chose a bright shade of orange for her bedroom walls.
collocation: bright shade of
The color of the leaves changes from green to gold every autumn.
collocation: color of + leaves
Priya asked the shop assistant which color would match her new sofa.
collocation: match + color
These flowers come in many colors, including pink, white, and purple.
Wen held up the paint chips to decide which color was warmer.
- bright color
- dark color
- light color
- favorite color
- change color
Grammar Patterns
color of something
2. The shade of a person's skin, often used to describe or think about racial or et
The shade of a person's skin, often used to describe or think about racial or ethnic background.
Amara smiled at the mix of colors in her classroom on the first morning.
context: colors in a classroom — skin color
Rashida filled out the job application form and paused at the question about her color.
context: question about one's color on a form
In her painting, Leila used warm browns to show the beauty of different skin colors.
collocation: skin color
The law was changed to stop employers from treating anyone unfairly because of their color.
- people of color
- skin color
- regardless of color
- race
broader concept that includes cultural and geographic heritage, not just skin shade
- complexion
focuses on the condition and natural tone of facial skin
Grammar Patterns
color of someone's skin
people of color
Usage Note
Often used in the phrase people of color to refer to people who are not white. Avoid using color alone to refer to a person's race in informal contexts — skin color or race are more neutral.
3. A reddish or pink look on a person's face that shows strong feelings such as emb
A reddish or pink look on a person's face that shows strong feelings such as embarrassment, shyness, or excitement, or that signals good health.
A sudden color rose to Hana's cheeks when she realized everyone was looking at her.
color + rose to [someone's] cheeks
The brisk walk put color back into Tomás's pale face.
collocation: put color back into
Yusuf noticed the color drain from his father's face when the news arrived.
collocation: color drain from face
After three weeks of rest, some healthy color returned to Nadia's skin.
- color in her cheeks
- color drain from
- lose color
- high color
Grammar Patterns
color in/to someone's face/cheeks
color + verb (rise, drain, return)
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (SKIN COLOR): this sense describes a temporary change in the face, not a person's permanent skin shade. When color drain from or rises to someone's face, the subject is usually the person whose face changes.
4. A solid or liquid substance, such as paint, dye, or ink, that you put on or in s
A solid or liquid substance, such as paint, dye, or ink, that you put on or in something to change its shade.
Greta added a few drops of blue food color to the icing and stirred well.
collocation: food color
The artist mixed her own colors from powders and oil in a small jar.
Hair color can damage your hair if you use it too often.
collocation: hair color
Ravi bought a tube of red paint because he had run out of that color.
- hair color
- food color
- fabric color
- oil color
- water color
Grammar Patterns
[type] + color
color + for [purpose]
5. Qualities or details that make something lively, interesting, or emotionally ric
Qualities or details that make something lively, interesting, or emotionally rich — as when a story has vivid descriptions or a place has a unique atmosphere.
The local farmers' market adds color to an otherwise quiet neighborhood.
metaphorical: adds color to [place]
Beatriz's travel blog is full of color — she describes the food and locals so well.
collocation: full of color
Without the witness's story, the newspaper report would have had very little color.
Olu's storytelling brought color to the history lesson, and even the sleepy students sat up.
- add color
- give color
- full of color
- local color
- vividness
more formal; describes how clearly something can be imagined
- liveliness
focuses on energy and activity rather than descriptive detail
- vibrancy
suggests energy and brightness
Grammar Patterns
add/give/bring color to something
full of color
Usage Note
Uncountable in this sense — you cannot say a color to mean interesting detail. Common in journalism: color refers to vivid human-interest details. Often paired with add, give, bring, or lend.
Common Mistakes
6. The particular set of shades that a group uses on its uniforms, badges, or flag
The particular set of shades that a group uses on its uniforms, badges, or flag to show membership or loyalty.
The fans all wore their team's colors — blue and white — to the championship game.
collocation: team's colors
Green and gold are the school colors — students wear shirts in those shades.
collocation: school colors
Sven flew his country's colors from the flagpole in front of his house.
After Japan won the gold medal, the athletes wrapped themselves in their national colors.
collocation: national colors
- team colors
- school colors
- national colors
- club colors
Grammar Patterns
[possessive] + colors
in [someone's] colors
Usage Note
Almost always used in the plural form colors, even when referring to a single set. Distinguish from sense 1 (SHADE OR HUE): these are the specific colors that symbolize a group, not any color in general.
Common Mistakes
To openly state your beliefs or who you support.
The senator nailed her colors to the mast by supporting the new law.
During the debate, he nailed his colors to the mast and defended his party.
of color
idiomDescribes a person who is not white.
The organization supports artists of color in their careers.
Maya, a woman of color, spoke about her experiences at the conference.
To make sure someone has enough money to pay before doing business.
The dealer wanted to see the color of my money before showing the car.
Before starting the project, we need to see the color of their money.
your true colors
idiomYour real character, especially when it is negative.
After the argument, Brian showed his true colors by being rude.
It took a crisis for her to reveal her true colors as a leader.
with flying colors
idiomTo do something very successfully or with excellent results.
Sara passed her driving test with flying colors on the first try.
The team completed the project with flying colors ahead of schedule.
color — verb
1. To put paint, dye, or another substance on something so its shade changes, or to
To put paint, dye, or another substance on something so its shade changes, or to cover the blank areas of a drawing with crayons or markers.
The children colored pictures of animals with crayons on the classroom floor.
collocation: color + pictures + with + crayons
Mei colored her hair dark brown for the winter season.
collocation: color + hair
We need to color the wooden fence before the rain starts again.
Dimitri carefully colored the map with different pencils to show each region.
- color a picture
- color hair
- color with crayons
Grammar Patterns
color + object
color + object + with + instrument
2. To affect the way a person thinks or feels about something, often in a way that
To affect the way a person thinks or feels about something, often in a way that is not completely fair or objective.
His unhappy childhood colored his view of family life for many years.
color + someone's view / opinion / judgment
Personal feelings should not color a judge's decision in court.
The glowing reviews colored my expectations, and I felt let down by the film.
Zane tried not to let anger color his reply to the customer's complaint.
- color opinion
- color judgment
- color someone's view
- color perception
Grammar Patterns
color + someone's + opinion/view/judgment/thinking
Usage Note
The object is almost always an abstract noun about thinking or feeling: opinion, view, judgment, perception, attitude, or expectations. Not used with concrete objects — you cannot say 'The news colored the table.'
Common Mistakes
3. To change or present information in a false way, especially to hide something un
To change or present information in a false way, especially to hide something unpleasant or to make it seem better than it really is.
The politician colored the truth about the budget to win votes.
collocation: color the truth
The company's report colored the equipment failure as a minor mistake.
Farouk's lawyer colored the events of that night to make his client seem innocent.
collocation: color the events
The newspaper was accused of coloring the story to make the mayor look bad.
- color the truth
- color the facts
- color events
- distort
stronger and more direct; suggests twisting the truth
- misrepresent
more formal; implies giving a false impression
- falsify
suggests deliberate and provable falsehood
- clarify
to make the truth clearer
Grammar Patterns
color + truth/facts/events/story
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (INFLUENCE VIEW): color meaning 'distort' involves a deliberate attempt to mislead, while color meaning 'influence' can be unintentional or subconscious. This sense takes objects like the truth or facts; sense 2 typically takes opinion or view.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe varieties of color, but each has a precise meaning. Hue is the most technical — it names a color's basic position on the spectrum (a red hue, a blue hue) and says nothing about lightness or darkness. Shade always means a darker version of a color, created by adding black (a deep shade of green). Tint is the opposite: a lighter version made by adding white (a pale tint of pink). Tone refers to a color modified by adding gray — a muted, less pure version (a soft tone of blue). In everyday conversation, color is the catch-all term; but when you want to be precise, choose the word that matches your adjustment. For example: 'The artist added white to create a lighter tint' and 'He mixed black to produce a darker shade of the same hue.'
Common collocations
Etymology
From Latin color ('color, tint, complexion'), entering English through Old French color/colour. The spelling colour was standard in Middle English and remained so in British English. In the early 1800s, American lexicographer Noah Webster promoted the shorter spelling color as part of his campaign to make American English spelling simpler and more phonetic. The verb sense 'to influence or bias' (mid-1700s) and 'to misrepresent' (early 1800s) developed metaphorically from the idea of giving something a particular appearance or shade.