paint
gb/pˈeɪnt/ us/pˈeɪnt/
A2
English
~ 3000
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Cover with colored liquid
To put colored liquid on a surface with a brush or other tool.
Usage pattern:
to paint [something] [color]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'paint' with 'draw'. 'Paint' involves applying color, while 'draw' is usually with pen or pencil lines.
Synonyms
coat (More general; can refer to covering with any substance, not only color.)
Antonyms
strip (Means to remove a covering, including paint, from a surface.)
Collocations
paint a wall
|paint a picture
|paint the ceiling
|paint the fence
Themes
art
|daily life
|home improvement
|housing
|daily_life
|work
Examples
- She decided to paint the living room walls blue.
- The artist will paint the portrait next week.
- We need to paint the fence before winter arrives.
- He painted the door with two coats of red gloss.
Learner examples
- I will paint my room green.
- She likes to paint pictures of flowers.
- We paint the house every summer.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Colored liquid for surfaces
A colored liquid that you put on walls, wood, or other surfaces.
Synonyms
coating (General term for any protective or decorative layer; not limited to color.)
Antonyms
bare surface (Describes a surface without any coating or paint.)
Collocations
oil paint
|water-based paint
|fresh coat of paint
|paint supplies
Themes
art
|home improvement
|housing
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The paint is peeling off the old fence.
- We bought some white paint for the kitchen.
- Oil paint takes longer to dry than acrylic paint.
Learner examples
- The paint is red.
- I need more paint for the wall.
- The paint is on my hands.
Verb
B1
action
3
Make an image with paints
To make a picture using paints.
Usage pattern:
to paint [a picture/portrait/scene]
Synonyms
depict (More formal and general; can use any medium, not just paint.)
Antonyms
erase (To remove an image or mark that has been made.)
Collocations
paint a portrait
|paint a landscape
|paint from memory
Themes
art
|arts_entertainment
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He likes to paint landscapes in his free time.
- The artist painted a portrait of her grandmother.
- She painted the scene from memory.
Learner examples
- I like to paint animals.
- She paints pictures of the sea.
- He paints his family.
Verb
B2
action
4
Describe vividly in words
To use words to make someone imagine something clearly.
Usage pattern:
to paint [a picture/image] of [something]
Common mistake:
'Paint' here is figurative; learners sometimes think it means literally using paint.
Synonyms
portray (Often used in both literal and figurative contexts; broader than 'paint'.)
Antonyms
obscure (To make something unclear or difficult to understand.)
Collocations
paint a vivid picture
|paint in detail
Themes
communication
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The author paints a vivid picture of life in the 19th century.
- She painted a grim image of the future during her speech.
- He painted the scene so well that I could almost see it.
Learner examples
- He paints a picture of the city with words.
- She paints the story in detail.
- The book paints life long ago.
Grammar
Dictionary form
paint
IPA
GB/pˈeɪnt/
US/pˈeɪnt/
Syllables & stress
paint (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (paint)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: paint
- Plural: paint, paints
Verb
- Base: paint
- 3rd Person Singular: paints
- Present Participle: painting
- Past: painted
Word family
Forms
paints
noun
painting
verb
painted
verb
Core family
painter
noun A2
Related words
repaint
verb B1
paintbrush
noun A2
Negative and opposite forms
unpainted
adjective
Advanced or less common
paintwork
noun
paintable
adjective
Expressions
fresh coat of paint
1/fɹˈɛʃ kˈoʊt əv pˈeɪnt/
fixed phrase
New layer of color on surface
A new layer of paint put on something to make it look better or protect it.
Examples
- The room looks great after a fresh coat of paint.
- The old bench just needs a fresh coat of paint.
like watching paint dry
1/lˈaɪk wˈɔt͡ʃɪŋ pˈeɪnt dɹˈaɪ/
idiom
informal
Very boring to watch
Used to say something is very boring to watch or do.
Examples
- This lecture is like watching paint dry.
- For me, baseball is like watching paint dry.
paint a picture
1/pˈeɪnt ə pˈɪkt͡ʃɚ/
idiom
Describe something in detail
To describe something clearly so people can imagine it.
Examples
- The journalist painted a picture of corruption within the government.
- In her letter, she painted a picture of her new life abroad.
paint oneself into a corner
1/pˈeɪnt wˌʌnsˈɛlf ˈɪntu ə kˈɔɹnɚ/
idiom
informal
Trap oneself with own actions
To do something that makes it hard for you to get out of a bad situation later.
Examples
- By agreeing to all their demands, he painted himself into a corner.
- She painted herself into a corner by lying about her qualifications.