turgid

adjective

tur·​gid ˈtər-jəd 

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

ˌtər-ˈji-də-tē 

noun

turgidly

ˈtər-jəd-lē 

adverb

turgidness noun

Synonyms

• bloated
• blown
• distended
• overinflated
• puffed
• swollen
• tumescent
• tumid
• varicose
• varicosed

Examples of turgid in a Sentence

turgid leeches having had their fill of blood

Recent Examples on the Web

After a frigid, turgid April (.147 average), everything’s starting to come to life again for one of the good dudes in the game. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 June 2025

Before getting sunk by a turgid love story — the kind of cinematic dead zone Thalberg would have blue-penciled in the screenplay stage — The Last Tycoon provides a good sense of what a producer actually does. —Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2025

However, there have been instances, such as the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in November, when United looked turgid and struggled to create. —Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025

Counter-attacking comes less naturally to him, and his tendency to drop behind the ball rather than run beyond it to stretch the defence was shown in this move midway through a turgid first half at the weekend. —Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin turgidus, from turgēre to be swollen

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

turgid

adjective

tur·​gid ˈtər-jəd 

1

: being in a swollen state

2

: exhibiting turgor

a turgid plant cell

Medical Definition

turgid

adjective

tur·​gid ˈtər-jəd 

: being in a normal or abnormal state of distension : swollen, tumid

turgid limbs

turgid living cells