lurid

adjective

lu·​rid ˈlu̇r-əd 

1

a

: causing horror or revulsion : gruesome

The tabloids gave all the lurid details of floating wreckage and dismembered bodies.

b

: melodramatic, sensational

also : shocking

… paperbacks in the usual lurid covers.

—T. R. Fyvel

2

a

: wan and ghastly pale in appearance

… frightened to death by the lurid waxworks …

—Sara H. Hay

b

: of any of several light or medium grayish colors ranging in hue from yellow to orange

3

: shining with the red glow of fire seen through smoke or cloud

lurid flames

luridly adverb

luridness noun

Synonyms of lurid

• gruesome
• horrific
• shocking

Choose the Right Synonym for lurid

ghastly, grisly, gruesome, macabre, lurid mean horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect.

ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

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

an unusually grisly murder

suffered a gruesome death

macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

Examples of lurid in a Sentence

a lurid tale of violence and betrayal

the lurid lighting of a nightclub

The light from the fire cast a lurid glow on everything.

Recent Examples on the Web

My friends had made the man sound an ancient mariner, an invalid widower, near dead from a lurid litany of injuries. — Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026

Silky cubes of tofu and tender ground pork in a glossy sauce with a subtle heat, more driven by black pepper than the lurid red chilis that swam alongside. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026

If a Piña Colada is a Hawaiian shirt, garish and lurid, then the Coco de Agua is a white linen suit—still rum, lime, and coconut, but clean and fitted. — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 27 June 2026

But eventually, lurid revelations from the King and Kean committees became too powerful to ignore. — Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 11 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin luridus pale yellow, sallow

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

lurid

adjective

lu·​rid ˈlu̇r-əd 

1

a

: causing horror or disgust : gruesome

lurid tales of murder

b

: sensational sense 2

lurid book covers

2

: lifelessly pale : wan

3

: shining with the red glow of fire seen through smoke

luridly adverb

luridness noun