Cool MateColourful
UK /["/ˈkʌləfl/"]/US /["/ˈkʌlərfl/"]/
Definition
full of bright colours or having a lot of different colours
In simple words: Full of many colors; bright and interesting.
Examples
- colourful shop windows
- The male birds are more colourful than the females.
- a small but colourful garden
- a **colourful history/past/career**
- one of the book’s most colourful characters
Usage notes
Use 'colourful' to describe things that have many bright colors, like art or nature. It's neutral and suitable for both spoken and written English.
Grammar pattern
standalone adjective
Memory hint
Think of color and 'full' — imagine a box overflowing with crayons.
Collocations
- colourful characters
- colourful paintings
- colourful language
Synonyms
- bright
- vivid
- vibrant
- rich
- lively
Antonyms
- dull
- drab
- colorless
Common mistakes
- Confused with 'colorful' (American English spelling)
- Using 'more colourful' instead of 'most colourful' in superlative context
- Misplacing it before nouns that don't require an adjective