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Synonyms

lurid

American  
[loor-id] / ˈlʊər ɪd /

adjective

  1. gruesome; horrible; revolting.

    the lurid details of an accident.

  2. glaringly vivid or sensational; shocking.

    the lurid tales of pulp magazines.

  3. terrible in intensity, fierce passion, or unrestraint.

    lurid crimes.

  4. lighted or shining with an unnatural, fiery glow; wildly or garishly red.

    a lurid sunset.

  5. wan, pallid, or ghastly in hue; livid.

    Synonyms:
    murky, pale, dismal
lurid British  
/ ˈlʊərɪd, ˈljʊərɪd /

adjective

  1. vivid in shocking detail; sensational

  2. horrible in savagery or violence

  3. pallid in colour; wan

  4. glowing with an unnatural glare

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • luridly adverb
  • luridness noun

Etymology

Origin of lurid

First recorded in 1650–60, lurid is from the Latin word lūridus sallow, ghastly

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.

Kino’s hypocrisy stems from the same swamp as the original’s fictitious Dr. Gröss, whose lurid footage climaxed with a tsk-tsking screed against poverty, pollution and fascism as major contributors to the global death toll.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

ANL has consistently denied the claims, calling them "lurid" and "preposterous".

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

ANL has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them "lurid" and "preposterous".

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

From there, he went on to host the lurid reality show “Fear Factor,” holding court while contestants were swarmed by rats or sipped expired egg nog.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026

Instead, she was carried back each time to the weir, where she clung to a rusty iron ring, waiting for him, her white face vivid against the lurid mossy walls and greenish cement.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.