lurid
Americanadjective
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gruesome; horrible; revolting.
the lurid details of an accident.
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glaringly vivid or sensational; shocking.
the lurid tales of pulp magazines.
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terrible in intensity, fierce passion, or unrestraint.
lurid crimes.
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lighted or shining with an unnatural, fiery glow; wildly or garishly red.
a lurid sunset.
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wan, pallid, or ghastly in hue; livid.
adjective
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vivid in shocking detail; sensational
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horrible in savagery or violence
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pallid in colour; wan
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glowing with an unnatural glare
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.
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
This case might serve valuable public interests by discouraging this kind of lurid oversharing and by beginning to push back a bit on the idea that there’s nowhere to hide.
From Slate • Jan. 15, 2026
She had been imagining the scene of a crime, a Gothic cathedral, whose flamboyant vaulting would be flooded with brazen light of scarlet and indigo from a stained-glass backdrop of lurid suffering.
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.
