turgid

adjective

tur·​gid ˈtər-jəd How to pronounce turgid (audio)
1
: excessively embellished in style or language : bombastic, pompous
turgid prose
2
: being in a state of distension : swollen, tumid
turgid limbs
especially : exhibiting turgor
turgidity noun
turgidly adverb
turgidness noun

Examples of turgid in a Sentence

turgid leeches having had their fill of blood
Recent Examples on the Web It was dismissed as melodrama and a history lesson, more an outburst than a play, neither art nor entertainment, as mechanical, medicinal, didactic, hermetic, clumsy, creaky, icy, turgid, empty, and labored—some of which remains true. Stacy Schiff, The New York Review of Books, 22 Dec. 2022 The intention to illuminate the political machinations of the Capitol and the importance of the games in maintaining the divide between the ruling class and the powerless plebs yields little beyond turgid gloom. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Nov. 2023 Musically speaking, both songs are stolid, turgid, and no fun. David Cantwell, Time, 24 Aug. 2023 For all its immensity and depth, the sea did not have, never had, and never will have its rhythm in a pair of turgid tetas the size of two corozos. Lawrence Jackson, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023 The latter, a love story set amid geopolitical intrigue in Nicaragua, is probably not an Oscars player — the crowd at my press screening broke out in giggles at the turgid dialogue — but Close is the current odds-on favorite for the potential Cannes breakout. Vulture, 3 June 2022 Their performance was too turgid. Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2023 And really, can anyone who has suffered through the turgid plot and shockingly cliche dialogue of James Cameron’s Avatar movies argue that ChatGPT would do any worse? Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2023 Sprightly pacing and lighthearted humor have succumbed to the turgid seriousness that plagues so much of the comic book canon, and the endearing sweetness of the early Ant-Man movies has been bigfooted into a noisy smash-and-grab extravaganza. Dallas News, 16 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'turgid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin turgidus, from turgēre to be swollen

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of turgid was in 1620

Dictionary Entries Near turgid

Cite this Entry

“Turgid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turgid. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

turgid

adjective
tur·​gid ˈtər-jəd How to pronounce turgid (audio)
1
: being in a swollen state
2
: exhibiting turgor
a turgid plant cell

Medical Definition

turgid

adjective
tur·​gid ˈtər-jəd How to pronounce turgid (audio)
: being in a normal or abnormal state of distension : swollen, tumid
turgid limbs
turgid living cells

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