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

While accepting the inaugural award for best podcast at last Sunday’s Golden Globes, Amy Poehler — perennial optimist and the mind behind some of contemporary culture’s most feel-good media — made a rare off-color joke.

From Salon • Jan. 16, 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

The race, which pitted a brazenly off-color indie-spirited musical with puppets against a commercial juggernaut from Oz, culminated in a collective gasp when the envelope was read.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 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