The following words share an unusual quality. Can you determine what it is?

COWARDLY
MELANCHOLY

STRAND 

INEXPERIENCED

EMBARRASSED

HINT:

The answer has to do with color.

Answer:

Each word has a synonym that is also a color:

COWARDLY - YELLOW

MELANCHOLY - BLUE

STRAND - MAROON

INEXPERIENCED - GREEN

EMBARRASSED - RED