1
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
thank you for sparing us from the lurid details of the story
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pallid
lacking a healthy skin color
the doctor was alarmed by the patient's lurid complexion was lurid after a long winter spent indoors
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sensational
arousing a strong and usually superficial interest or emotional reaction
the lurid news reports about the romance between the two Hollywood stars
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lurid
That lurid fable was followed by 2023’s Pictures of Ghosts, an impressionistic documentary that told the parallel stories of Mendonça Filho’s life in movies and Recife’s decaying cinemas.
—
Michael Snyder, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
The arrest of Andrew, who turned 66 on Thursday, heaps further embarrassment on Britain’s royal family following years of lurid allegations about his ties with Epstein that the former prince has consistently denied.
—Lucy White, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
And with both projects, Barbato tells Vanity Fair, their goal as filmmakers wasn’t to further sensationalize an already lurid crime.
—Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
The free flow of information is the lifeblood of the world’s third largest financial center, after New York and London, and Apple Daily — for all its lurid crime stories and salacious gossip — was among a litany of outlets holding government officials to account.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Michael Snyder, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
The arrest of Andrew, who turned 66 on Thursday, heaps further embarrassment on Britain’s royal family following years of lurid allegations about his ties with Epstein that the former prince has consistently denied.
—Lucy White, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
And with both projects, Barbato tells Vanity Fair, their goal as filmmakers wasn’t to further sensationalize an already lurid crime.
—Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
The free flow of information is the lifeblood of the world’s third largest financial center, after New York and London, and Apple Daily — for all its lurid crime stories and salacious gossip — was among a litany of outlets holding government officials to account.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurid
Adjective
-
Dahl’s books are fanciful and imaginative, but also dark, cynical, and mean (and, unfortunately, often reflected his real-life ugliness), spinning stories in which gruesome and unpleasant fates befell rotten kids, and adults were frequently selfish, cruel, and not to be trusted.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
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The evidence at trial included a gruesome video showing Stanfier’s body in the trunk of a car, which had been shared with a woman Jordan-Brooks reportedly met while working at Kentucky Fried Chicken in Emeryville years earlier, court records show.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His practical advice fares better than both his theories and his pallid attempts at profundity.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Out of the bloodstains shone a pair of bright blue eyes, and a heart was beating under the pallid skin that looked several sizes too big.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
McLean was sensational before exiting.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Two nights after exploding for a career-high 51 points, Flagg’s sensational performance was the main reason the Mavericks snapped a 14-game home losing streak in a 134-128 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The horrific Los Angeles wildfires caused over $75 billion in insured losses and claimed the lives of 31 Californians.—
Scott Wiener,
Oc Register,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The horrific discovery spurred a wider search on Long Island over the following year – nearly a dozen bodies were found in all – and raised fears of a serial killer on the loose.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Once on the festival grounds, Kylie wore a ruffled, open front white Ann Demeulemeester top, paired with Levi’s 94 baggy jeans in a pale blue wash, Staud Freja leather thong sandals, a Chrome Hearts white gold belly chain, and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
12 Apr. 2026
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Blank Street’s roots trace back to 2020, when co-founders Freiha and Vinay Menda began selling coffee out of a pale-green coffee cart in the Williamsburg neighborhood of New York City.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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Tangy, juicy cranberries complement the sweetness of the apples delightfully without making the perfect fall treat.—
Abby Fribush,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Zendaya and Robert Pattinson star in Kristoffer Borgli’s rug-pull rom-com, which follows a soon-to-be-married couple whose relationship implodes after a shocking revelation.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
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The series abruptly concluded with Lois' shocking pregnancy news and Malcolm just starting his freshman year at Harvard.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In fact, the most colorful man in the room might have been Jackson himself, who had on a jacket in a rich currant shade.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Film at Lincoln Center, which hosts the fundraising event, annually assembles a colorful cast of past collaborators, maybe future ones, and admirers for this event, like last year pairing Dua Lipa and John Waters with Pedro Almodóvar.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lurid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurid. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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