lurid

adjective

ˈlu̇r-əd How to pronounce lurid (audio)
Definition of luridnext
1
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent thank you for sparing us from the lurid details of the story

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pallid
lacking a healthy skin color the doctor was alarmed by the patient's lurid complexion was lurid after a long winter spent indoors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sensational
arousing a strong and usually superficial interest or emotional reaction the lurid news reports about the romance between the two Hollywood stars

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lurid different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of lurid are ghastly, grisly, gruesome, and macabre. While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

When might ghastly be a better fit than lurid?

While the synonyms ghastly and lurid are close in meaning, ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

How do grisly and gruesome relate to one another, in the sense of lurid?

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

an unusually grisly murder
suffered a gruesome death

Where would macabre be a reasonable alternative to lurid?

The synonyms macabre and lurid are sometimes interchangeable, but macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lurid The movie’s lurid hues come off as ominous intrusions, disturbances of the regular order. — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2025 However, the lurid thoughts communicated in Johanne’s prose are enough to send Kristin and Karin into a spiral over how Johanne could possibly have come to felt this way. — Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 24 Feb. 2025 If this was a case of a football, or men’s basketball, player, would the player still be on the floor with no consequences in the face of this many lurid accusations? — Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Feb. 2025 Not much, aside from rehashing the facts of the case in a lurid yet scattershot manner that has become typical of the shows that air on the streaming service. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lurid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurid
  1. gruesome
  2. pallid
  3. sensational
  4. horrific
  5. pale
  6. juicy
  7. shocking
  8. colorful
Adjective
  • Watkins immediately received a flood of support on social media after the gruesome injury, as athletes and analysts from around the sports world chimed in with well wishes.
    — Sean Neumann, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The behemoth abode sits on the infamous site of the gruesome 1969 Manson murders, though the original home was bulldozed in the ’90s.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • Similarly, it was called the white plague or white death – due to anemia from the disease, with people appearing pallid or chalky – leading to near-certain death.
    — Karen Dobos, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The Russian invasion of Ukraine won Vladimir Putin a certain admiration in countries of the global South, as well as among MAGA Americans, while Joe Biden’s appeals to democratic values seemed pallid and hypocritical.
    — George Packer, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2025
Definition of pallid
Adjective
  • The Terps were led again by sensational freshman Derik Queen (27 points, five rebounds, two steals) in what is all but certainly his last college game.
    — Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Zelenskyy made the sensational prediction in an interview Wednesday, when the Ukrainian leader also called on the U.S. not to bring Russia in from the global political wilderness amid ongoing peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
    — Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of sensational
Adjective
  • While the defense in front of him remained very much horrific in Buffalo, Jarry was not good.
    — Josh Yohe, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Almost a decade in the making, and currently in post-production, the film will recount the harrowing story of the nine Charbonneau sisters and their childhood schoolmates who endured horrific abuse at St. Paul’s Indian Mission School in Marty, South Dakota.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • Later, the abject widow is found huddled with her relatives in the pale curve of an empty swimming pool, a glowing charcoal imbaula nearby to keep them warm.
    — Namwali Serpell, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2025
  • The color of rhubarb can naturally vary from pale pink to deep red depending on the variety and how it was grown; the deep red stalks will give you the most stunning color, but the green stalks are perfectly tasty as well. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar in this recipe to your taste.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of pale
Adjective
  • The cast of characters is incredibly detailed and charming, plus the plot is juicy.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    — Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of juicy
Adjective
  • The Sins Of The Brother Of course, the most shocking moment in this episode is something that’s been setup from the very first episode.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The game was all but a formality — anything less than an Elite Eight run would be downright shocking.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • However, thanks to advances in low-light performance, that’s all changed, with the latest models (and even those a few years old) able to take spectacular photos and impressive videos of colorful aurora.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • But their journey is all show and no stakes, while the visuals are over-wrought with dizzying CGI dreamscapes like a kaleidoscope of colorful slop.
    — Staff Author, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of colorful

Browse Nearby Words

lures
lurid
luridly
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Cite this Entry

“Lurid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurid. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

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