off-color

American  

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

especially British, off-colour also off-colored

adjective

1. not having the usual or standard color.

   an off-color gem.

2. of doubtful propriety or taste; risqué.

   an off-color joke.

   Synonyms:

   blue, earthy, salty, spicy, racy

3. not in one's usual health.

   to feel off-color.

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Etymology

Origin of off-color

First recorded in 1855–60

Explanation

Something that's off-color is offensive or vulgar. Your parents might stop inviting your uncle for Thanksgiving after years of his embarrassing, off-color jokes. You'll most often find the adjective off-color describing jokes that make some listeners laugh, but offend or disgust others. Standup comedians are frequently famous for their off-color humor, while politicians caught telling off-color stories can face serious career difficulties. Before American English adopted off-color to mean "in questionable taste," this adjective was used to describe faulty gemstones.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

off-color

But if you simply must have your cauliflower florets, Markon notes that recent and upcoming rainy conditions may also lead to black mold, mildew and off-color in fresh supplies.

From Salon ● May 27, 2026

In the one-way broadcast channel, guests could only emoji-react, so the thread wasn’t cluttered with giant stickers or, say, off-color replies from an unfiltered uncle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 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

That off-color joke to me was in tune with the Harris campaign, putting joy and laughter into something serious.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2024

In the train going to Royaumont, however, he looked off-color, giving no indication of wanting either to read The Times or to hear me gossip about the phage group.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Related Words

• racy
• salty
• suggestive
• vulgar