Today we are going to look at 20 idioms about color with sentences and questions to make our English more expressive! Also, scroll down to the bottom for a mini-quiz if you think you already know them all!
Idioms about color
Here is the first set of idioms about color. Read and repeat them all to get comfortable with their pronunciations!
- White lie – A harmless or small lie, usually told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.
- Green with envy – Extremely jealous.
- Seeing red – Very angry.
- Feeling blue – Feeling sad or depressed.
- Caught red-handed – Caught in the act of doing something wrong.
- Tickled pink – Very pleased or entertained.
- Golden opportunity – A very good chance to achieve something.
- Black and white – Very clear and easy to understand.
- Rose-colored glasses – An overly optimistic or positive perspective.
- Out of the blue – Something happening unexpectedly.
Related: 20 Idioms With Their Meanings And Sentences: Better Speaking!
Color idioms: part 2
Here are the second bunch of color idioms. As with those above, if you are learning English it would be a good idea to repeat all of them – ideally several times. Then you’ll be able to better remember them.
- In the black – Financially solvent; making a profit.
- In the red – In debt; losing money.
- Give the green light – To grant permission to proceed with something.
- Grey Area – this describes something that is unclear – for instance, rules that are not so obvious.
- Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth – Born into a wealthy family.
- Green thumb – A natural talent for gardening.
- Black and blue – Bruised and beaten.
- Red tape – Excessive bureaucracy or adherence to official rules.
- Paint the town red – Go out and have a lively, enjoyable time.
- Once in a blue moon – Very rarely.
Related: 18 Idioms About Friendship: Better Vocabulary & Speaking!
Sayings about color: example sentences
Here are some example sentences to practice English speaking with. They are from the first set of idioms about color. After reading all of these, why don’t you make your own example sentences, too?
- White lie – She told a white lie about the surprise party to keep it a secret.
- Green with envy – He was green with envy when he saw his friend’s new car.
- Seeing red – When he found out someone stole his bike, he was seeing red.
- Feeling blue – She was feeling blue after her pet passed away.
- Caught red-handed – The thief was caught red-handed by the police.
- Tickled pink – Maria was tickled pink when she got an A on her test.
- Golden opportunity – Winning the scholarship was a golden opportunity for him.
- Black and white – The rules were black and white, with no room for debate.
- Rose-colored glasses – She saw the world through rose-colored glasses and didn’t notice the problems.
- Out of the blue – Out of the blue, he got a call offering his dream job.
Idiom example sentences: part 2
Here is the next set of example sentences using today’s color idioms. As with before, read them all out and repeat them.
- In the black – Our business is finally in the black after many years of hard work.
- In the red – We need to cut costs because the company is in the red.
- Give the green light – The principal gave the green light for the school trip.
- Grey Area – The overtime rules are a bit of a grey area at our company.
- Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth – Sarah never had to worry about money as she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
- Green thumb – My neighbor has a green thumb; her garden is always beautiful.
- Black and blue – He came home black and blue after falling off his bike.
- Red tape – I had to deal with so much red tape to get my passport renewed.
- Paint the town red – After our exams, we decided to paint the town red and celebrate.
- Once in a blue moon – We go to the beach once in a blue moon because it’s so far away.
Idioms about color: conversation questions
Here are some questions using today’s idioms about color. Try to answer them all in full sentences. If you have no experience with the topics, it does not matter – as this is an English conversation practice. Try to imagine the answers as best you can!
- White lie: Have you ever told a white lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings? What was it about?
- Green with envy: Think of a time when you were green with envy. What made you feel that way?
- Seeing red: What kind of situation would make you see red?
- Feeling blue: What do you usually do when you are feeling blue?
- Caught red-handed: Have you ever caught someone red-handed? What were they doing?
- Tickled pink: Describe something that would make you feel tickled pink.
- Golden opportunity: What do you consider a golden opportunity in life?
- Black and white: Can you think of an issue that is black and white? Why?
- Rose-colored glasses: Do you believe it’s better to see life through rose-colored glasses or to be realistic? Explain.
- Out of the blue: Has anything ever happened to you out of the blue? What was it?
- In the black: What would you do if your new business was in the black?
- In the red: How would you manage if your finances were in the red?
- Give the green light: When was the last time you were given the green light to start something new?
- Grey Area: Can you give an example of a grey area in rules you know?
- Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth: Have you ever met anyone born with a silver spoon in their mouth? How were they different?
- Green thumb: Do you have a green thumb, or know someone who does? What is your favorite plant?
- Black and blue: Have you ever been black and blue from an accident? What happened?
- Red tape: Have you ever had to deal with red tape? What was the situation?
- Paint the town red: If you could paint the town red tonight, where would you go and what would you do?
- Once in a blue moon: What’s something you do only once in a blue moon? Why don’t you do it more often?
Idioms about color: a colorful way to learn English!
I hope you have enjoyed reading and repeating all of today’s idioms about color. As a fun wrap-up, try this quiz:
- What do we say for something that is only rarely done?
- If the rules are very unclear, it is a what?
- Tommy fell out of a tree, and his skin is now?
- I can grow flowers well because I have a?