lurid

adjective

lu·​rid ˈlu̇r-əd 

1

a

: causing horror or revulsion : gruesome

The tabloids gave all the lurid details of floating wreckage and dismembered bodies.

b

: melodramatic, sensational

also : shocking

paperbacks in the usual lurid covers

—T. R. Fyvel

2

a

: wan and ghastly pale in appearance

frightened to death by the lurid waxworks

—Sara H. Hay

b

: of any of several light or medium grayish colors ranging in hue from yellow to orange

3

: shining with the red glow of fire seen through smoke or cloud

lurid flames

luridly adverb

luridness noun

Synonyms

• appalling
• atrocious
• awful
• dreadful
• frightful
• ghastly
• grisly
• gruesome
• grewsome
• hideous
• horrendous
• horrible
• horrid
• horrific
• horrifying
• macabre
• monstrous
• nightmare
• nightmarish
• shocking
• terrible
• terrific

Choose the Right Synonym for lurid

ghastly, grisly, gruesome, macabre, lurid mean horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect.

ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder

suffered a gruesome death

macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

Examples of lurid in a Sentence

a lurid tale of violence and betrayal

the lurid lighting of a nightclub

The light from the fire cast a lurid glow on everything.

Recent Examples on the Web

This clever, focus-shifting structure allows showrunners Robbins and Sarah Sutherland to dramatize the most lurid, horror-movie aspects of the story without appearing to endorse one version over another. —Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025

Photos by Sinna Nasseri These fabled 15 blocks (extending just beyond Chateau Marmont in the East, to Beverly Hills in the West) have a long, often lurid, musical history. —Edmund Vallance, AFAR Media, 18 Mar. 2025

Think Ferrari’s 458 Speciale or 812 Competizione models, Lamborghini’s lurid Huracán STO, McLaren’s 750S, or Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS. —Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2025

The lurid case has riveted the public, but police have not released a potential motive, and a sweeping gag order has kept the parties from speaking publicly or revealing further details. —Lauren Del Valle, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin luridus pale yellow, sallow

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

lurid

adjective

lu·​rid ˈlu̇r-əd 

1

a

: causing horror or disgust : gruesome

lurid tales of murder

b

: sensational sense 2

lurid book covers

2

: lifelessly pale : wan

3

: shining with the red glow of fire seen through smoke

luridly adverb

luridness noun