📉 Not enough supply 🧪 Not full of substance 🎨 Pale or muted

undersaturated

7.0

Having weak color so pictures or photos look pale

adjective
/ˌʌndərˈsætʃəˌreɪtɪd/

Specialized

: poco saturado

The artist chose an undersaturated palette to create a calm and subdued atmosphere in the painting.

Examples

If your print looks undersaturated, try increasing the color intensity in your editing software.
The colors in the old photograph appeared undersaturated compared to the original scene.
This fabric is undersaturated.
Don't you think this painting looks undersaturated!
The colors in the old photograph appeared undersaturated compared to the original scene.
If your print looks undersaturated, try increasing the color intensity in your editing software.
The artist chose an undersaturated palette to create a calm and subdued atmosphere in the painting.

Synonyms

pale

vsundersaturated

291 1.0

Has very light color and often looks sick or afraid

describes paleness caused by low saturation rather than lack of light

dull

vsundersaturated

31 1.0

Not bright or shiny with weak colour

focuses on lower saturation causing muted color rather than dullness broadly

muted

vsundersaturated

10 4.2

Colors that are not bright or sounds that are not loud

refers specifically to weaker color saturation rather than mere softness

subdued

vsundersaturated

9 4.2

Soft and not bright, like pale colors or quiet sounds

focuses on low color saturation rather than overall restrained style

drab

vsundersaturated

5 5.3

A dull grey or light brownish green color often used for uniforms

is a general term for low saturation across many colors

washed-out

vsundersaturated

4 4.4

A color or object that has lost brightness and looks pale

is about low saturation making colors look pale rather than age effects

bleached

vsundersaturated

1 2.5

Very pale because sunlight or chemicals removed its color

is about low saturation, not necessarily caused by external fading

unsaturated

vsundersaturated

Specialized

5.8

A color made less bright by mixing it with white or grey

is about reduced color saturation rather than specific dilution methods

nonsaturated

vsundersaturated

6.6

A color that is not bright and looks soft

emphasizes lower saturation as the main cause of paleness

faded

vsundersaturated

2.1

Clothes or photos with color that is no longer bright and looks washed out

attributes paleness to low saturation rather than wear or age

pale-hued

vsundersaturated

5.1

A light color that is not strong

indicates reduced saturation specifically rather than only lightness

pale-colored

vsundersaturated

2.3

Having a light color that is not bright

means colors are less saturated rather than merely pale in tone

untoned

vsundersaturated

7.4

Showing little color or shade

is about low color saturation rather than limited shade variation

superlight

vsundersaturated

4.1

Very pale in color with a light shade

refers to reduced color saturation rather than only extreme lightness

Antonyms

oversaturated

1 5.8

Having too much of something for a system or place to handle

How Saturated

vivid

23 3.0

saturated

1 3.9

undersaturated

Specialized

7.0

muted

10 4.2

pale

291 1.0

Surface Forms

undersaturated positive

Morphology

undersaturated = saturated (transparent) = under + saturate + ed

Built from 'saturated' (in the color sense) with the productive prefix 'under-' to indicate 'less than fully saturated'; the derivation is direct.

Etymology

Undersaturated comes from under- and saturate, with saturate meaning 'to fill' and often used for color as 'full of color'. So an undersaturated picture or print is 'not fully filled' with color and therefore looks pale or muted.