The way Reverse Dictionary works is pretty simple. It simply looks through tonnes of dictionary definitions and grabs the ones that most closely match your search query. For example, if you type something like «longing for a time in the past», then the engine will return «nostalgia». The engine has indexed several million definitions so far, and at this stage it’s starting to give consistently good results (though it may return weird results sometimes). It acts a lot like a thesaurus except that it allows you to search with a definition, rather than a single word. So in a sense, this tool is a «search engine for words», or a sentence to word converter.
I made this tool after working on Related Words which is a very similar tool, except it uses a bunch of algorithms and multiple databases to find similar words to a search query. That project is closer to a thesaurus in the sense that it returns synonyms for a word (or short phrase) query, but it also returns many broadly related words that aren’t included in thesauri. So this project, Reverse Dictionary, is meant to go hand-in-hand with Related Words to act as a word-finding and brainstorming toolset. For those interested, I also developed Describing Words which helps you find adjectives and interesting descriptors for things (e.g. waves, sunsets, trees, etc.).
In case you didn’t notice, you can click on words in the search results and you’ll be presented with the definition of that word (if available). The definitions are sourced from the famous and open-source WordNet database, so a huge thanks to the many contributors for creating such an awesome free resource.
Special thanks to the contributors of the open-source code that was used in this project: Elastic Search, @HubSpot, WordNet, and @mongodb.
Please note that Reverse Dictionary uses third party scripts (such as Google Analytics and advertisements) which use cookies. To learn more, see the privacy policy.
Below is a list of words related to another word. You can click words for definitions. Sorry if there’s a few unusual suggestions! The algorithm isn’t perfect, but it does a pretty good job for common-ish words. Here’s the list of words that are related to another word:
Popular Searches
Words Related to ~term~
As you’ve probably noticed, words related to «term» are listed above. Hopefully the generated list of term related words above suit your needs.
P.S. There are some problems that I’m aware of, but can’t currently fix (because they are out of the scope of this project). The main one is that individual words can have many different senses (meanings), so when you search for a word like mean, the engine doesn’t know which definition you’re referring to («bullies are mean» vs. «what do you mean?», etc.), so consider that your search query for words like term may be a bit ambiguous to the engine in that sense, and the related terms that are returned may reflect this. You might also be wondering: What type of word is ~term~?
Also check out ~term~ words on relatedwords.io for another source of associations.
Related Words
Related Words runs on several different algorithms which compete to get their results higher in the list. One such algorithm uses word embedding to convert words into many dimensional vectors which represent their meanings. The vectors of the words in your query are compared to a huge database of of pre-computed vectors to find similar words. Another algorithm crawls through Concept Net to find words which have some meaningful relationship with your query. These algorithms, and several more, are what allows Related Words to give you… related words — rather than just direct synonyms.
As well as finding words related to other words, you can enter phrases and it should give you related words and phrases, so long as the phrase/sentence you entered isn’t too long. You will probably get some weird results every now and then — that’s just the nature of the engine in its current state.
Special thanks to the contributors of the open-source code that was used to bring you this list of term themed words: @Planeshifter, @HubSpot, Concept Net, WordNet, and @mongodb.
There is still lots of work to be done to get this to give consistently good results, but I think it’s at the stage where it could be useful to people, which is why I released it.
Please note that Related Words uses third party scripts (such as Google Analytics and advertisements) which use cookies. To learn more, see the privacy policy.
Recent Queries
Filters
Filter by Part of speech
adjective
phrase
Suggest
If you know synonyms for Red-brown, then you can share it or put your rating in listed similar words.
Suggest synonym
Menu
Red-brown Thesaurus
Definitions of Red-brown
Image search results for Red-brown
Cite this Source
- APA
- MLA
- CMS
Synonyms for Red-brown. (2016). Retrieved 2023, April 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/synonyms/red-brown
Synonyms for Red-brown. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Apr. 2023. <https://thesaurus.plus/synonyms/red-brown>.
Synonyms for Red-brown. 2016. Accessed April 14, 2023. https://thesaurus.plus/synonyms/red-brown.
Find creative ways to describe colors! These words lists infuse your writing with unique words for red, yellow, blue, and every color of the rainbow.
- Color Adjectives
- Color Nouns
- Color Verbs
- White Words
- Yellow Words
- Orange Words
- Red Words
- Pink Words
- Purple Words
- Blue Words
- Green Words
- Brown Words
- Gray Words
- Black Words
- Color Similes
- ablaze
- ablazing
- accented
- achromatic
- ashen
- ashy
- atomic
- beaming
- bi-color
- blazing
- bleached
- bleak
- blended
- blotchy
- bold
- brash
- bright
- brilliant
- burnt
- checkered
- chromatic
- classic
- clean
- colored
- colorful
- colorless
- complementing
- contrasting
- cool
- coordinating
- crisp
- dappled
- dark
- dayglo
- deep
- delicate
- digital
- dim
- dirty
- matte
- medium
- mellow
- milky
- mingled
- mixed
- monochromatic
- motley
- mottled
- muddy
- multicolored
- multihued
- murky
- natural
- neutral
- opalescent
- opaque
- pale
- pastel
- patchwork
- patchy
- patterned
- perfect
- picturesque
- plain
- primary
- prismatic
- psychedelic
- pure
- radiant
- reflective
- rich
- royal
- ruddy
- rustic
- satiny
- saturated
- secondary
- shaded
- dotted
- drab
- dreary
- dull
- dusty
- earth
- electric
- eye-catching
- faded
- faint
- festive
- fiery
- flashy
- flattering
- flecked
- florescent
- frosty
- full-toned
- glistening
- glittering
- glowing
- harsh
- hazy
- hot
- hued
- icy
- illuminated
- incandescent
- intense
- interwoven
- iridescent
- kaleidoscopic
- lambent
- light
- loud
- luminous
- lusterless
- lustrous
- majestic
- shining
- shiny
- shocking
- showy
- smoky
- soft
- solid
- somber
- soothing
- sooty
- sparkling
- speckled
- stained
- streaked
- streaky
- striking
- strong neutral
- subtle
- sunny
- swirling
- tinged
- tinted
- tonal
- toned
- traditional
- translucent
- transparent
- two-tone
- undiluted
- uneven
- uniform
- vibrant
- vivid
- wan
- warm
- washed-out
- waxen
- wild
- accent
- brightness
- brilliance
- cast
- chroma
- CMYK
- color
- color swatch
- color wheel
- colorant
- coloration
- colour
- compound colors
- luminosity
- luster
- monotone
- opacity
- opalescence
- Pantone
- pigment
- pigmentation
- pop of color
- primary color
- purity
- radiance
- rainbow
- dimension
- dye
- finish
- glaze
- gleam
- glimmer
- glint
- glistening
- gradation
- gradient
- hue
- incandescence
- iridescence
- saturation
- shade
- shadow
- sheen
- shimmer
- shine
- spectrum
- swatch
- tinge
- tint
- tone
- undertone
- value
- accent
- appear
- attract
- balance
- blare
- blaze
- bleach
- blend
- brighten
- bring out
- burn
- captivate
- cast
- catch the eye
- clash
- color
- combine
- harmonize
- highlight
- illuminate
- infuse
- juxtapose
- light
- lighten
- match
- merge
- mix
- morph
- overlap
- paint
- pair with
- pop
- radiate
- redden
- contrast
- coordinate
- darken
- dye
- embellish
- emit
- fade
- flash
- flatter
- fleck
- flow
- flush
- glare
- glaze
- gleam
- glimmer
- glisten
- saturate
- shade
- shimmer
- shine
- smudge
- sparkle
- speckle
- spill
- stain
- stand out
- streak
- swirl
- tint
- trace
- transform
- weave
- alabaster white
- albino white
- antique white
- arctic white
- argent white
- ashen white
- beige
- birch
- biscuit white
- bisque
- blanched almond
- blanched white
- bleached white
- blonde
- bone white
- buff
- camel
- canvas beige
- chalk white
- coconut white
- marshmallow white
- milk white
- mocassin
- mother-of-pearl
- mushroom
- Navajo white
- neutral white
- nude
- oatmeal white
- off-white
- old lace white
- opal
- paper white
- pearl white
- piano key white
- polar white
- porcelain
- powder white
- pure white
- raw cotton white
- cotton white
- cream
- diamond
- dove white
- ecru
- eggshell white
- flax
- flour white
- fog white
- French beige
- frosted white
- ghost white
- goose white
- hemp
- ivory white
- lace white
- latte
- light tan
- lily white
- linen
- sandstone
- seashell white
- sheep white
- sheet white
- shell white
- shining star white
- silvery white
- smoky beige
- snow white
- solid white
- spotless white
- sugar white
- toothpaste white
- vanilla
- waxen white
- wedding white
- whey
- white
- white chocolate
- white smoke
- amber
- banana yellow
- bleached blond
- blond
- buff
- bumblebee yellow
- butter yellow
- buttercup
- butternut squash yellow
- butterscotch
- cadmium yellow
- canary yellow
- champagne
- Chardonnay
- citrine
- corn yellow
- cornsilk yellow
- cream
- lemon sherbet
- lemon yellow
- linen
- lion yellow
- maize
- marigold yellow
- mellow yellow
- metallic gold
- mimosa yellow
- mustard yellow
- ochre
- olive
- omelette yellow
- palamino
- papaya
- parakeet yellow
- pencil yellow
- peroxide blond
- daffodil yellow
- dandelion
- duckling yellow
- egg yolk yellow
- electric yellow
- flax
- flesh tone
- French fry yellow
- gold
- gold yellow
- golden bronze
- golden yellow
- goldenrod
- highlighter yellow
- honey yellow
- lemon chiffon
- lemon drop
- lemon meringue
- popcorn yellow
- raincoat yellow
- saffron
- school bus yellow
- squash yellow
- straw yellow
- sunflower yellow
- sunglow yellow
- sunset yellow
- sunshine yellow
- taxi cab yellow
- Titanium yellow
- topaz
- vanilla
- wheat
- yellow
- yolk yellow
- amber
- apricot
- basketball orange
- blood orange
- bourbon
- burnt orange
- butterfly orange
- candlelight orange
- candy corn
- cantaloupe orange
- carnelian
- carotene
- carrot orange
- cheddar orange
- cinnamon
- mango
- marigold orange
- melon orange
- neon orange
- old gold
- orange
- orange juice
- orange peel
- orange sherbet
- orange soda
- orange-red
- papaya
- peach
- persimmon
- pumpkin orange
- copper penny
- coral
- dark orange
- dark salmon
- dayglo orange
- ember orange
- fall leaves orange
- flame orange
- ginger orange
- gold
- golden orange
- goldfish orange
- ice pop orange
- light orange
- light salmon
- rust orange
- safety orange
- saffron
- salamander orange
- starfish orange
- sunrise orange
- tabby
- tangelo
- tangerine
- tawny
- tiger orange
- tiger stripe orange
- traffic cone orange
- yam orange
- alizarin crimson
- amaranth
- apple red
- auburn
- autumn leaf red
- barn red
- beet red
- blood red
- blush
- Bordeaux red
- bougainvillea
- bourbon
- brick red
- bright red
- burgundy
- burnt sienna
- candy apple red
- cardinal red
- carmine
- carnelian
- cerise
- cherry red
- chestnut red
- chili pepper red
- cinnabar
- magenta
- magma red
- maroon
- orange-red
- paprika
- pepperoni red
- persimmon red
- pink red
- pomegranate red
- poppy red
- rabbit eye red
- radish red
- rare steak red
- raspberry red
- red
- red apple
- red berry
- red carpet
- red licorice
- red lipstick
- red nose
- red pepper
- red potato
- red rose
- red velvet
- copper
- coral red
- crab red
- cranberry red
- crimson red
- dark cerise
- dark red
- deep pink
- devil red
- faded rose
- fire engine red
- fire red
- fire truck red
- flame red
- florid red
- fruit punch red
- garnet red
- geranium red
- henna
- hibiscus red
- hot pink
- Indian red
- ketchup red
- ladybug red
- lipstick red
- red wine vinegar
- redwood
- rosewood
- rouge
- ruby red
- russet red
- rust red
- sangria red
- scarlet
- sports car red
- stop light red
- stop sign red
- strawberry red
- tawny port red
- tawny red
- terra cotta
- tomato bisque
- tomato red
- torch red
- vermillion
- watermelon flesh
- wine red
- winter apple red
- amaranth
- apricot
- ash rose
- baby cheeks pink
- baby pink
- bacon pink
- ballerina pink
- ballet pink
- ballet slipper pink
- begonia
- blush pink
- bougainvillea
- bubblegum pink
- cameo
- carmine
- carnation pink
- cerise
- cherry blossom
- cherry blossom pink
- conch pink
- orchid
- pale pink
- pastel pink
- peach
- peach puff
- peony pink
- Pepto Bismal pink
- Persian rose
- petunia pink
- pig pink
- pink
- pink Cadillac
- pink champagne
- pink cheeks
- pink diamond
- pink grapefruit
- pink lemonade
- pink sherbet
- polka dot pink
- powder pink
- cotton candy
- cranberry
- cupcake pink
- dayglo pink
- dusty rose
- eraser pink
- flamingo pink
- flesh
- flesh-colored
- fuchsia
- grapefruit pink
- hibiscus pink
- hot pink
- jellyfish pink
- lavender pink
- light plum
- lipstick pink
- magenta
- misty rose
- mulberry
- rose
- rose petal
- rose pink
- rose quartz
- rosy red
- ruby
- ruddy pink
- sand pink
- seashell pink
- shocking pink
- soft pink
- strawberry jam
- strawberry milkshake
- sunset pink
- tea rose
- thistle pink
- tongue pink
- tulip pink
- turnip pink
- worm pink
- amethyst
- aubergine
- beet purple
- bilberry purple
- blackberry
- blackcurrant
- blue violet
- blueberry
- brandywine
- bruise purple
- byzantium
- cerise
- claret
- Concord grape
- currant
- dahlia
- magenta
- mauve
- monster purple
- mulberry
- opal purple
- orchid purple
- pale plum
- pansy purple
- passionfruit purple
- pastel purple
- periwinkle
- plum
- prune
- purple
- purple cabbage
- purple jam
- dark raspberry
- dark violet
- eggplant purple
- fandango
- grape crush
- grape jam purple
- grape jelly purple
- grape purple
- heliotrope
- hyacinth
- inky purple
- iris purple
- juice purple
- lavender
- lavender blush
- lilac purple
- quartz
- raisin purple
- raspberry
- rhubarb purple
- royal purple
- thistle
- true purple
- turnip purple
- violet
- violet red
- wild berry purple
- wild grape
- wine
- wisteria
- alice blue
- aqua blue
- aquamarine
- azure blue
- baby blue
- blue belle
- blue ice
- blue jean blue
- blue-green
- blueberry
- bluebird blue
- bluebonnet blue
- cadet blue
- Caribbean blue
- Caribbean turquoise
- cerulean
- cobalt
- cornflower
- cyan
- marlin blue
- midnight blue
- navy blue
- neon blue
- nighttime blue
- ocean blue
- Pacific blue
- pale blue
- pastel blue
- peacock blue
- police officer blue
- pool blue
- powder blue
- Prussian blue
- ribbon blue
- robin egg
- royal blue
- sapphire blue
- sky blue
- dark slate blue
- deep sky blue
- denim blue
- Dodger blue
- dolphin blue
- electric blue
- frostbite blue
- glacial blue
- heather
- iceberg blue
- icy blue
- imperial blue
- indigo blue
- inky blue
- jay blue
- lake blue
- lapis
- lapis lazuli
- light blue
- snowflake blue
- stained glass blue
- steel blue
- stone blue
- summer sky blue
- surf blue
- swimming pool
- teal blue
- Tiffany blue
- true blue
- turquoise
- ultra blue
- ultramarine
- verdigris
- violet blue
- washed denim blue
- whale blue
- absinthe
- algae green
- alligator green
- apple green
- aqua
- army green
- artichoke green
- asparagus green
- avocado green
- bay leaf green
- bluegrass green
- boxwood green
- broccoli green
- cabbage green
- cactus green
- caterpillar green
- celery green
- chartreuse
- chive green
- chlorophyll green
- clover green
- crocodile green
- cucumber green
- cyan
- jade green
- jadestone
- jungle green
- Kelly green
- kelp green
- Kermit green
- key lime green
- leaf green
- leprechaun green
- lettuce green
- lichen green
- light cyan
- lime green
- lizard green
- melon rind green
- metallic mint
- mint green
- moss green
- myrtle green
- neon green
- olive drab
- olive green
- parrot green
- pea green
- dark khaki green
- dark olive green
- dollar bill green
- drab olive
- eel green
- emerald green
- evergreen
- fern green
- forest green
- frog green
- Granny Smith apple
- grass green
- grasshopper green
- green
- green apple
- green olive
- green pepper
- green tea
- green-yellow
- holly
- honeydew green
- hunter green
- iceberg lettuce
- iguana green
- pear green
- Persian green
- pickle green
- pine green
- pistachio
- sage green
- sea green
- seafoam green
- seaweed green
- shamrock green
- spinach green
- spring bud green
- spring green
- sprout green
- spruce green
- summer grass
- swamp green
- tea green
- turtle green
- verdant
- verdigris
- wasabi green
- zucchini green
- acorn brown
- auburn
- autumn leaf
- barbecue sauce brown
- bark brown
- bay
- bear brown
- beetle brown
- biscuit brown
- branch brown
- brick brown
- bronze
- brown
- brown sugar
- brunette
- burnt sienna
- burnt umber
- butterscotch brow
- cafe au lait
- camel brown
- cappuccino brown
- caramel brown
- cardboard brown
- chestnut brown
- chocolate
- khaki
- leather
- lion brown
- liver brown
- mahogany
- maple brown
- maple sugar brown
- maroon
- meatball brown
- milk chocolate
- mink
- mocha brown
- mud brown
- nougat
- nude
- nut brown
- nut brown ale
- nutmeg
- oak brown
- October brown
- pancake brown
- peanut butter brown
- potato brown
- pretzel brown
- raisin brown
- cocoa
- cocoa brown
- coffee bean brown
- coffee brown
- coffee stain brown
- copper
- dark chocolate brown
- dark citrine
- deer brown
- desert sand
- dirt
- doeskin
- dun
- earth brown
- earth yellow
- earthenware brown
- fallow
- fawn brown
- football brown
- fox brown
- freckle brown
- ginger brown
- golden brown
- hazel brown
- henna brown
- rich earth
- roan
- root beer brown
- rosewood
- ruddy brown
- russet brown
- rust
- saddle brown
- sand
- sandy brown
- sea lion brown
- semi-sweet chocolate
- sepia
- sienna
- sorrel
- steak brown
- tan
- tan brown
- tan-nude
- tawny
- toast brown
- tumbleweed
- tweed brown
- walnut brown
- wheat
- argent silver
- ash gray
- battleship gray
- cadet gray
- charcoal gray
- chrome
- cloud gray
- cloudy day gray
- concrete gray
- cool gray
- cool grey
- dim gray
- dolphin gray
- dove gray
- overcast gray
- owl gray
- oyster gray
- pewter
- pigeon gray
- platinum
- rainy day gray
- rhinoceros gray
- river rock
- salt and pepper gray
- sardine gray
- seal gray
- shark gray
- silver
- elephant gray
- fog gray
- grandma gray
- granite gray
- gray
- grey
- gunmetal gray
- haze gray
- hippopotamus gray
- iron gray
- koala gray
- metal gray
- mist gray
- moon gray
- smoke gray
- soot gray
- steel gray
- stone gray
- storm gray
- stormy sea gray
- taupe gray
- thunder cloud gray
- warm gray
- wed sidewalk gray
- wool gray
- zinc gray
- black
- black cat
- black coffee
- black licorice
- black pearl
- black pepper
- black tar
- blackboard black
- blackout
- blue-black
- bow tie black
- carbon black
- kohl black
- licorice black
- Mars black
- mascara black
- mica
- midnight black
- molasses black
- night sky black
- ninja black
- obsidian
- onyx
- outer space black
- chalkboard black
- charcoal black
- coal black
- ebony black
- eclipse black
- eyelash black
- fig
- gothic black
- hearse black
- ink black
- jet black
- jetty black
- piano key black
- pitch black
- pupil black
- raven black
- sable black
- shadow black
- smoky black
- sooty black
- spade black
- spider black
- tar black
- tarmac black
- beige as a field of wheat
- beige as a fortune cookie
- beige as a pancake
- beige as a woman’s foundation
- beige as an old postage stamp
- beige as antique lace
- beige as antique parchment
- beige as brown rice
- beige as cookie batter
- beige as creme brulee
- beige as garlic cloves
- beige as mashed potatoes
- beige as pine nuts
- beige as pistachio shells
- beige as rope
- beige as the pages of an old book
- beige as twine
- black as a burned stump
- black as a burnt wick
- black as a cast-iron skillet
- black as a chimney sweep
- black as a coal mine
- black as a crow’s wing
- black as a dog’s nose
- black as a funeral procession
- black as a Gothic teenager’s wardrobe
- black as a graduation gown
- black as a mechanic’s fingers
- black as a moonless night sky
- black as a piano key
- black as a politician’s heart
- black as a pupil
- black as a rotton banana
- black as a skid mark
- black as a smoker’s lung
- black as a tunnel
- black as a wet rock
- black as an 8-ball
- black as an abyss
- black as an angry thundercloud
- black as an Imperial stout
- black as an oil filter
- black as bottomless water
- black as caviar
- black as crude oil
- black as eggplant
- black as espresso
- black as eyeliner
- black as fresh asphalt
- black as gunpowder
- black as ink
- black as licorice
- black as peppercorns
- black as pitch
- black as soot
- black as the ace of spades
- black as the sea at night
- black as the smoke from a house fire
- black as the space between galaxies
- black as witchcraft
- black like an oven
- blue as a baby’s eyes
- blue as a business shirt
- blue as a cornflower
- blue as a drowned corpse
- blue as a first prize ribbon
- blue as a jazz note
- blue as a little boy’s nursery
- blue as a mountain lake
- blue as a pair of jeans
- blue as a peacock’s feather
- blue as a popsicle stick
- blue as a robin’s egg
- blue as a spruce
- blue as a summer sky
- blue as a swimming pool
- blue as a Valium
- blue as a whore’s eyeshadow
- blue as shimmering steel
- blue as tropical seas
- brown as a bandaid
- brown as a beer bottle
- brown as a bun
- brown as a bunny rabbit
- brown as a deep suntan
- brown as a dried autumn leaf
- brown as a paper bag
- brown as a pinecone
- brown as a pretzel
- brown as a roasted turkey’s skin
- brown as a starfish
- brown as a tawny port
- brown as a tincture
- brown as a violin
- brown as a well-worn saddle
- brown as a winter landscape
- brown as an autumn leaf
- brown as an old boot
- brown as an old penny
- brown as bacon
- brown as bad coffee
- brown as buckeyes
- brown as burnt butter
- brown as burnt toast
- brown as cardboard
- brown as chocolate milk
- brown as cinnamon sticks
- brown as coffee grounds
- brown as fallen oak leaves
- brown as fresh dirt
- brown as iced tea
- brown as melted chocolate
- brown as morel mushrooms
- brown as peanut butter
- brown as raw cane sugar
- brown as seven-grain bread
- brown as Thanksgiving gravy
- brown as the forest floor
- brown as the underside of a magnolia leaf
- brown as tobacco spit
- brown as topsoil
- brown like a river at its mouth
- brown like toasted almonds
- colorful as a beach ball
- colorful as a bowl of fruit
- colorful as a box of crayons
- orange as an ember
- orange as an IPA
- orange as an open flame
- orange as an orangoutang
- orange as autumn leaves
- orange as cheddar cheese
- orange as marmalade
- orange as sliced sweet potato
- orange as tangerine flesh
- orange as tiger’s fur
- pink as a cat’s yawn
- pink as a cheap perfume bottle
- pink as a conch shell
- pink as a flock of flamingos
- pink as a Jordan almond
- pink as a kitten’s nose
- pink as a little girl’s bedroom
- pink as a little girl’s favorite hair ribbon
- pink as a new baby’s skin
- pink as a newborn rat
- pink as a petal
- pink as a piggy bank
- pink as a piglet
- pink as a princess’s gown
- pink as a puppy’s tongue
- pink as a sorority girl’s fingernails
- pink as an albino rabbit’s eye
- pink as an Easter ham
- pink as an eraser
- pink as an old lady’s bathroom tiles
- pink as bubble gum
- pink as canned tuna
- pink as cherry blossoms
- pink as cotton candy
- pink as diced ham
- pink as grapefruit flesh
- pink as Himalayan salts
- pink as little girls’ first lipstick
- pink as pinched flesh
- pink as salmon sushi
- pink as strawberry ice cream
- purple as a berry smoothie
- purple as a black eye
- purple as a bloated tick
- purple as a church in Lent
- purple as a crushed blackberry
- purple as a dyed Easter egg
- purple as a field of lavender
- purple as a field of lilacs
- purple as a fig
- purple as a fresh bruise
- purple as a grape popsicle
- purple as a king’s footstool
- purple as a king’s robe
- purple as a low-hanging cluster of grapes
- purple as a Mardi Gras mask
- purple as a pansy
- purple as a pile of amethyst
- purple as a Pinot Noir
- purple as a port wine stain
- purple as a radish
- purple as a sea urchin
- purple as a sweet plum
- purple as a tacky bridesmaid’s dress
- purple as a varicose vein
- purple as an emperor’s robe
- purple as the blood of a beet
- purple as wine stained lips
- purple like a ripe cherry
- red as a beetroot
- red as a blister
- red as a blushing bride
- red as a boiled lobster
- red as a checkered tablecloth
- red as a child cheek’s
- red as a Christmas ornament
- red as a circus clown’s wig
- red as a communist
- red as a fisherman’s neck
- red as a furnace
- red as a holly berry
- red as a hot coal
- red as a matchtip
- red as a mosquito bite
- red as a pepper
- red as a pomegranate seed
- red as a poppy
- red as a radish
- red as a rash
- red as a raspberry tart
- red as a robin’s breast
- red as a ruby
- red as a ruby grapefruit
- red as a sports car
- red as a stop sign
- red as a strawberry
- red as a sunburn
- red as a tail light
- red as a tomato
- red as a traffic light
- red as a turkey gobbler’s wattle
- red as a Valentine
- red as a vampire’s lips
- red as a vixen’s lips
- red as a winter’s apple
- red as an alcoholic’s nose
- red as an Arizona sunset
- red as an embarrassed schoolboy
- red as an Englishman in the midday sun
- red as an Indiana barn
- red as an Irish Setter
- red as boxing gloves
- red as cherry pie
- red as chili powder
- red as marina sauce
- red as raw meat
- red as satin ribbons
- red as spilt blood
- red as the Chinese flag
- red as the devil
- red as the rising sun
- red as the stripes on the American flag
- red as the velvet curtain at the theater
- red as Tobasco
- silver as a knife blade
- silver as a new dime
- colorful as a canyon sunset
- colorful as a coral reef
- colorful as a farmer’s market stand
- colorful as a field of tulips
- colorful as a kaleidoscope
- colorful as a kite’s tail
- colorful as a Mardi Gras costume
- colorful as a parrot’s plumage
- colorful as a parrot’s wing
- colorful as a quilt
- colorful as a rubik’s cube
- colorful as an acid trip
- colorful as an artist’s palette
- colorful as an autumn treeline
- colorful as an oil slick
- colorful as an old-fashioned ice cream parlor
- colorful as Buddhist prayer flags
- colorful as Christmas lights
- colorful as Easter eggs
- colorful as Fourth of July fireworks
- colorful as neon lights
- colorful as stained glass lit by the sun
- colorful as the northern lights
- colorful as trail mix
- colors faded like an old Oriental rug
- gray as a cemetery headstone
- gray as a city street
- gray as a Confederate uniform
- gray as a dead mouse
- gray as a donkey’s pelt
- gray as a foggy October morning
- gray as a gravestone
- gray as a hippopotamus
- gray as a metal ruler
- gray as a mule
- gray as a new army blanket
- gray as a newsreel
- gray as a November sky
- gray as a Paris winter
- gray as a pessimist’s heart
- gray as a pigeon
- gray as a plateful of porridge
- gray as a prison wall
- gray as a Russian winter
- gray as a shadow on the wall
- gray as a steel sheet
- gray as a stone fence
- gray as a storm cloud
- gray as a storm cloud over London
- gray as a stormy sea
- gray as a tornado
- gray as a toy battleship
- gray as a whale
- gray as a worn athletic sock
- gray as an industrial city
- gray as an old athletic sock
- gray as an old dishrag
- gray as fresh concrete
- gray as limestone rock
- gray as smoke
- gray as the light of the moon
- gray like breath on a frosty morning
- green as a baby frog
- green as a bamboo forest
- green as a Christmas wreath
- green as a dollar bill
- green as a field of clover
- green as a freshly mowed meadow
- green as a garden hose
- green as a goblin
- green as a golf course
- green as a gourd vine
- green as a grasshopper
- green as a lawn of new grass after a rain
- green as a leek
- green as a leprechaun’s hat
- green as a meadow
- green as a pickle
- green as a pine branch
- green as a pine forest
- green as a soccer field
- green as a St. Patrick’s Day parade
- green as a suburban lawn
- green as a superfood smoothie
- green as a viper snake
- green as a Welsh valley
- green as a young leaf
- green as an army truck
- green as an artichoke
- green as an crocodile
- green as an elementary school chalkboard
- green as an iguana
- green as an Irish hillside
- green as an Irish postcard
- green as an unripe banana
- green as astroturf
- green as avocado flesh
- green as bottled glass
- green as Eden
- green as fresh kale
- green as jealousy
- green as Kentucky bluegrass
- green as mint jelly
- green as mint leaves
- green as money
- green as olive oil
- green as pear skin
- green as pesto
- green as pistachio nuts
- green as sliced kiwi
- green as spring
- green as St. Patrick’s Day
- green as wheat grass juice
- orange as a basketball
- orange as a copper penny
- orange as a copper pot
- orange as a flickering flame
- orange as a freshly cut mango
- orange as a glowing jack-o-lantern
- orange as a gold fish
- orange as a Hawaiian sunset
- orange as a life vest
- orange as a Monarch butterfly
- orange as a prison uniform
- orange as a pumpkin
- orange as a traffic cone
- silver as a senator’s hair
- silver as a sheet of rain
- silver as a sleighbell
- silver as a spider web
- silver as liquid chrome
- silver as sleighbells
- silver as the moon
- white as a bleached sand dollar
- white as a blizzard
- white as a communion dress
- white as a cotton ball
- white as a dandelion
- white as a dinner plate
- white as a fish belly
- white as a flock of sheep
- white as a freshly painted fence
- white as a golf ball
- white as a klan rally
- white as a lightening flash
- white as a lily
- white as a line of pure cocaine
- white as a marble statue
- white as a marshmallow
- white as a moonlit sail
- white as a movie star’s teeth
- white as a napkin at a fine dining restaurant
- white as a pearl
- white as a porcelain sink
- white as a ray of moonlight
- white as a sail
- white as a sheep’s wool
- white as a starched white shirt
- white as a sugar cube
- white as a summer cloud
- white as a sunlit snowdrift
- white as a swan
- white as a swan’s stray feather
- white as a wedding cake
- white as a wedding dress
- white as a winter moon
- white as a woman’s breast
- white as an Arctic landscape
- white as an iceberg
- white as an old dog’s face
- white as an old lady’s hair
- white as an onion
- white as apple blossoms
- white as art gallery walls
- white as as star
- white as aspirin
- white as baby’s breath
- white as chalk
- white as cheesecake
- white as coconut flesh
- white as coconut milk
- white as cream cheese
- white as daisy petals
- white as desert sands
- white as detergent
- white as flour
- white as frost
- white as innocence herself
- white as Irish linen
- white as ivory
- white as marble halls
- white as milk
- white as mountain snow
- white as ocean foam
- white as pillowcases
- white as pork fat
- white as quartz crystals
- white as rice
- white as salt
- white as sea’s fog
- white as sea-bleached shells
- white as shredded coconut
- white as sunbeams
- white as the breast of a gull
- white as thistle down
- white as untrod snow
- white as vanilla ice cream
- white as vanilla yogurt
- white as Vitamin D milk
- white as wax
- white as whipped cream
- white like a light bulb
- white like a single shaft of light
- white like a spot of bare canvas in a painting
- yellow as a chick
- yellow as a custard
- yellow as a dandelion
- yellow as a French fry
- yellow as a honeycomb
- yellow as a light beer
- yellow as a lion’s mane
- yellow as a mimosa
- yellow as a pineapple
- yellow as a potato chip
- yellow as a rubber ducky
- yellow as a school bus
- yellow as a sunflower
- yellow as a taxi cab
- yellow as a tennis ball
- yellow as a yield sign
- yellow as an
- yellow as an egg yolk
- yellow as an old tooth
- yellow as butter
- yellow as canned corn
- yellow as Chardonnay
- yellow as cheap cheese macaroni
- yellow as corn in the sun
- yellow as cornflour
- yellow as gold coins
- yellow as legal pads
- yellow as lemon meringue
- yellow as liquid honey
- yellow as mustard
- yellow as mustard seeds
- yellow as olive oil
- yellow as ripe corn
- yellow as saffron
- yellow as sunshine
- yellow as unburnished gold
Published August 31, 2021
Red is one of nature’s most eye-catching colors. It symbolizes love, heat, danger, and even death. With all of its many shades and meanings, there is no reason to stick with the single word red.
There are dozens of words that describe types of red, from amaranth to vermilion. You might even find that the terms themselves are as beautiful as the shades of red that they describe.
crimson
The color crimson is one of the most popular shades of red. Crimson is a “deep purplish-red.” An archaic word for crimson is cramoisy [ kram-oi-zee ], and both terms come from the Arabic qirmizī. This is the Arabic word for the red dye made from small insects known as kermes.
Learn about other familiar and common words that originated from Arabic.
scarlet
The color scarlet is a particular stand-out. It is “a bright-red color inclining toward orange.” While the origins of the word are disputed, scarlet was first used in English to describe rich, luxurious cloth. Scarlet was often, but not always, red in the Middle Ages. Later, scarlet came to particularly describe clothes of this color and finally came to refer to this luxurious red itself.
vermilion
Vermilion is “a brilliant scarlet red.” Believe it or not, like crimson, this word can trace its origins back to the kermes beetle that was dried and crushed to make red dye in the ancient world. Vermilion ultimately comes from the Latin vermiculus meaning “kermes (insect and dye).” This is how vermilion shares a root with the zoological term vermicule, meaning “a small, wormlike structure.”
carmine
Another shade of red related to dyes made from insects is carmine, “a crimson or purplish-red color.” Carmine pigment or dye was made from the small red cochineal insect. The word carmine itself is thought to ultimately come from the same root as crimson.
burgundy
Burgundy is a shade of red closely associated with wine. Burgundy is “a grayish red-brown to dark blackish-purple color.” The name ultimately comes from the French wine-growing region of Bourgogne, known for its deep red wines. The dish boeuf bourguignon also comes from this region—the name literally names “Burgundian beef.”
The French also brought us the most coveted snack food of all: French fries. Let’s look at how they are enjoyed across the world.
oxblood
The word oxblood is one of the most vivid terms for a shade of red. Oxblood is “a deep dull-red color.” Naturally enough, the word is a reference to the color of the blood of an ox. Sometimes, oxblood is mistaken for burgundy, because the two colors are close in hue. Oxblood is particularly suited to describing the colors of leather and porcelain glazes.
sanguine
Another bloody shade of red is sanguine, “reddish, ruddy.” The word sanguine comes from the Latin sanguineus, meaning “bloody.” Sanguine can also be used figuratively to mean “cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident.” This meaning of sanguine is connected to a belief in the pseudoscience of humorism, where blood was associated with the life force or spirit.
amaranth
In Ancient Greek mythology, the amaranth was a mythic, “undying flower” that symbolized immortality. The name itself comes from the Greek amáranton, meaning “unfading flower.” These days, amaranth is also known as a reddish-pink color. The name is a reference to the real amaranth plant, also known as pigweed, which has reddish-pink flowers.
safflower
Another flower that is a brilliant shade of red is safflower, which has an orangey-red color. (There is also a yellow safflower used to make dye). Red safflower has been used to dye silk or linen for thousands of years. The safflower looks like a thistle, and its seeds are harvested to make safflower oil, which has a wide range of uses.
blush
One of the sweetest shades of red is blush. You are likely familiar with this word as a verb meaning “to redden, as from embarrassment or shame.” But blush can also be used as a noun meaning “rosy or pinkish tinge.” For example:
- The bride looked stunning in her blush wedding dress and sophisticated updo.
Make someone you know blush by showering them with these positive words.
rubicund
If you spend too long in the sun, you might end up with a rubicund complexion. The word rubicund means “red or reddish, ruddy.” It is particularly used to describe someone’s face or complexion. Rubicund is one of the jolliest terms for red. Describing someone as rubicund signals that they like to live life to the fullest—particularly eating and drinking well.
ruby
Shades of red come not only from crushed up insects, blushing faces, or flowers. Words for red colors also come from precious gemstones like the ruby. Ruby is “a deep red, carmine.” The word ruby ultimately comes from the Latin ruber meaning “red.” (That’s how closely associated it is with the color.)
garnet
Another gemstone-inspired shade of red is garnet, “a deep-red color.” Garnets actually come in a wide variety of colors, but there is a deep-red variety that is particularly popular as a gemstone. The word garnet ultimately comes from the Old French grenat, from the expression pome grenate or … pomegranate, a fruit with tiny, tasty red gems inside.
roseate
A sophisticated near-synonym for red is roseate, an adjective meaning “tinged with rose, rosy.” For example:
- Despite the need to make camp, we stopped to admire the roseate sky at sunset.
The term roseate is also used figuratively to mean “bright or promising.”
rufous
Our next synonym for red is less commonly used, but it may sound familiar nonetheless. Rufous [ roo-fuhs ] is an adjective meaning “reddish; tinged with red; brownish red.” If rufous seems familiar, that’s probably because it sounds like the male first name Rufus. The name Rufus comes from the Latin for “red-headed” and shares a common root with rufous.
russet
Another shade of red that is closely associated with hair is russet, meaning “yellowish brown, light brown, or reddish brown.” In contrast with the luxurious scarlet clothes we learned about at the top of this slideshow, russet-colored clothes were associated with the rough fabric worn by peasants. The earliest use of the term in English was in the sense of “a coarse reddish-brown or brownish homespun cloth formerly used for clothing.”