true colors

NOUN

one's real self

Synonyms

WEAK

cards on the table heart on one's sleeve personality truth

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Powell-to-Warsh transition gives the new Fed chief a chance to show his true colors.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

But just as Rubio revealed his true colors on his first stop after Munich, AOC made what could turn out to be her most enduring impression after the conference as well.

From Slate • Feb. 17, 2026

Instead, the textures were perceived to be the true colors of the object's surface.

From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2024

You perceive Hale’s true colors immediately through those associations, just as you can see Ernest’s venality through DiCaprio’s immediately recognizable brand of boyish corruptibility.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 19, 2023

Finally, she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan