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 of turgid

• swollen

Examples of turgid in a Sentence

turgid leeches having had their fill of blood

Recent Examples on the Web

Avery, the heroine of Anika Jade Levy’s debut novel, Flat Earth (Catapult, $26), spends many turgid nights with a pedant. —Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025

Like many disaster movies, this is a turgid soap opera that’s blown apart by chaos. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025

The water, in the turgid, late afternoon light, was gray and swift. —Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025

Only one Test has resulted in a draw since Stokes and McCullum joined forces on the back of a particularly turgid period during which England had won only one game in 17 under a far more conservative management duo of skipper Joe Root and coach Chris Silverwood. —Paul Newman, New York Times, 12 July 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