colored
1 of 2adjective
col·ored ˈkə-lərd 
1
: having color
2
a
: colorful
b
: marked by exaggeration or bias
3
a
dated, usually offensive, see usage paragraph below : of a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) other than white
especially : black entry 1 sense 2
b
dated, usually offensive, see usage paragraph below : of mixed race (see race entry 1 sense 1a)
4
dated, usually offensive, see usage paragraph below : of or relating to persons of races (see race entry 1 sense 1a) other than white or to persons of mixed race
colored
2 of 2noun
plural colored or coloreds
often capitalized
dated, offensive, see usage paragraph below
: a person of a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) other than white or of mixed race
Synonyms
Adjective
- chromatic
- colorful
- kaleidoscopic
- motley
- multicolored
- multihued
- polychromatic
- polychrome
- prismatic
- rainbow
- varicolored
- varied
- variegated
- various
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective We decorated the Christmas tree with colored lights. He gave a highly colored account of the events.
Word History
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1832, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing colored
Kids Definition
colored
adjective
col·ored ˈkə-lərd
: having color
colored glass
brightly-colored birds
colored 1 of 2
adjective
as in colorful
marked by a variety of usually vivid colors the highly colored glassware that is the studio's hallmark Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- colorful
- varied
- rainbow
- striped
- multicolored
- various
- varicolored
- vibrant
- variegated
- polychrome
- polychromatic
- chromatic
- prismatic
- bright
- brilliant
- multihued
- dotted
- kaleidoscopic
- motley
- iridescent
- patterned
- spotted
- marbled
- speckled
- plaid
- checkered
- opalescent
- flecked
- mottled
- bicolored
- specked
- garish
- banded
- plaided
- parti-colored
- striated
- dappled
- gaudy
- showy
- flashy
- streaked
- dapple
- pied
- brave
- loud
- dichromatic
- piebald
- gay
- pinto
- barred
- tricolor
- two-toned
- trichromatic
- splashy
- tricolored
- parti-color
- brindled
- bichrome
- two-tone
- bicolor
- brindle
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- colorless
- achromatic
- gray
- bleached
- faded
- solid
- grey
- monochromatic
- decolorized
- neutral
- pale
- monotone
- self-colored
- dull
- pallid
- monochromic
- faint
- washed-out
- unbrilliant
colored
2 of 2verb
1
as in painted
to give color or a different color to per the couple's request, the baker used natural ingredients like beet juice and turmeric to color the icing for the wedding cake Synonyms & Similar Words
- painted
- tinted
- dyed
- stained
- brightened
- pigmented
- tinged
- striped
- tinctured
- darkened
- speckled
- lightened
- flecked
- bepainted
- mottled
- variegated
- patterned
- marbled
- specked
- checkered
- streaked
- striated
- dappled
- polychromed
- embrowned
- daubed
- toned (down)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- bleached
- decolorized
- whitened
- blanched
2
as in exaggerated
to add to the interest of by including made-up details he gave a highly colored version of a rather mundane experience Synonyms & Similar Words
- exaggerated
- padded
- embroidered
- embellished
- enhanced
- hyperbolized
- expanded
- satirized
- stretched
- magnified
- emphasized
- amplified
- elaborated (on)
- gussied up
- caricatured
- stressed
- played up
- hedged
- overemphasized
- dressed up
- fleshed (out)
- overdrew
- overstated
- overplayed
- fudged
- overdid
- enlarged (on or upon)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- minimized
- understated
- belittled
- played down
3
as in distorted
to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of his news reporting is colored by his prejudices Synonyms & Similar Words
- distorted
- misrepresented
- cooked
- twisted
- slanted
- obscured
- perverted
- complicated
- warped
- misinterpreted
- masked
- garbled
- falsified
- camouflaged
- censored
- misrelated
- confused
- misstated
- fudged
- disguised
- veiled
- whitewashed
- bent
- mistranslated
- bowdlerized
- dissembled
- lied
- misdescribed
- misspoke
- mistook
- mystified
- paltered
- belied
- glossed (over)
- confounded
- equivocated
- fibbed
- prevaricated
- mixed (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- illustrated
- interpreted
- illuminated
- explained
- clarified
- cleared (up)
- spelled out
- deciphered
4
as in blushed
to develop a rosy facial color (as from excitement or embarrassment) she colored after hearing the nasty remarks about her weight Synonyms & Similar Words
- blushed
- flushed
- glowed
- reddened
- crimsoned
- turned color
- rouged
- bloomed
- ruddled
- humiliated
- incarnadined
- mortified
- disconcerted
- abashed
- discomfited
- fazed
- embarrassed
- chagrined