morbid
[mawr-bid]
- suggesting an unhealthy mental state or attitude; unwholesomely gloomy, sensitive, extreme, etc.: a morbid interest in death.
- affected by, caused by, causing, or characteristic of disease.
- pertaining to diseased parts: morbid anatomy.
- gruesome; grisly.
Show More
Origin of morbid
Synonyms
See more synonyms for morbid on Thesaurus.com2. unwholesome, diseased, unhealthy, sick, sickly; tainted, corrupted, vitiated.
Antonyms
1. cheerful. 2. healthy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for morbidly
Contemporary Examples
One hears a high percentage of Americans are morbidly obese.
For the morbidly curious, he takes off his mask to reveal his true face at 1:20.
The sequence of events is tragic, morbidly funny, and exquisitely described—as are most of the stories in this collection.
I would definitely recommend it to people who were morbidly obese like I was.
She admits to being “morbidly fascinated” by actresses, but has never wanted to be one.
Historical Examples
I was well aware of the morbidly sensitive nature of the man.
The Mirror of the SeaJoseph Conrad
She was stricken, and sensitive—so morbidly sensitive—to pity, to gossip.
They of the High TrailsHamlin Garland
He was sympathetic to actual pain, and had always been morbidly in awe of death.
The Tyranny of the DarkHamlin Garland
But he was morbidly suspicious that every man's hand was turned against him.
In Case of FireGordon Randall Garrett
The meeting, which he had morbidly dreaded, had brought him no comfort.
The Rough RoadWilliam John Locke
morbid
- having an unusual interest in death or unpleasant events
- gruesome
- relating to or characterized by disease; pathologica morbid growth
Show More
Word Origin
C17: from Latin morbidus sickly, from morbus illness
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
Word Origin and History for morbidly
morbid
adj.
1650s, "of the nature of a disease, indicative of a disease," from Latin morbidus "diseased," from morbus "sickness, disease, ailment, illness," from root of mori "to die," which is possibly from PIE root *mer- "to rub, pound, wear away" (cf. Sanskrit mrnati "crushes, bruises;" Greek marainein "to consume, exhaust, put out, quench," marasmus "consumption"). Transferred use, of mental states, is from 1777. Related: Morbidly; morbidness.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
morbid
(môr′bĭd)- Relating to or caused by disease; pathological or diseased.
- Psychologically unhealthy or unwholesome.
Show More
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.