bittersweet colors

Literary analysis:

In literature, "bittersweet" is employed as a multifaceted symbol that melds contrasting elements into a single evocative image. It often conveys the coexistence of joy and sorrow, such as when a consoling voice from the dead carries redemption with a touch of sorrow [1] or when love and the passing of time stir emotions that are both tender and tinged with melancholy [2]. At times, the term is also used to evoke the vivid qualities of nature, with lush vines bearing ornamental berries that serve as a metaphor for life’s intricate interplay of beauty and pain [3]. This dual usage enriches the narrative by inviting readers to confront the complex and often contradictory nature of human experience.

344 It seemed like a voice from the dead, it was bittersweet consolation, and, in a way, it stood redemption of Dinkie himself.
— from The Prairie Child by Arthur Stringer
But love and the passing of the days are bittersweet within my heart to-day.
— from The Well at the World's End: A Tale by William Morris
Graceful sprays of bittersweet-vine trailed their bright berries over the white cloth.
— from The Little Colonel at Boarding-School by Annie F. (Annie Fellows) Johnston

This tab, the new OneLook "color thesaurus", is a work in progress. It draws from a data set of more than 2000 color names gathered from sources around the Web, and an analysis of how they are referenced in English texts.

Enter any color to explore similar colors, as well as objects and concepts associated with the color in English texts. Examples: lime green, lavender.
Enter any object or concept to see the colors associated with the object or concept in English texts, as well as words that have a similar color profile. Examples: rage, sun, jeans, royalty.

Some words, like "peach", function as both a color name and an object; when you do a search for words like these, you will see both of the above sections.

Color thesaurus

Literary notes

Word games