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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lurid
Just as much an investigator as a memoirist, Nevils attempts to tunnel through the lurid details and the #MeToo boilerplate and unearth something much knottier.
—
Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
But go for the electric atmosphere, the camaraderie of fans all wearing their lurid synthetic jerseys, and the gravitational pleasure of cheering for a team at its home ground (or indeed, the subversive thrill of cheering for the away team).
—Samanth Subramanian, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
Epstein and Attia appear to have maintained a familiar association over their years-long correspondence, which apparently is replete with lurid remarks, discussions of in-person visits, and offers of wellness advice.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
The Chet Baker starts with the depth of a couple ounces of aged rum, complemented with just a kiss of honey (see the Airmail cocktail for a more lurid love affair between honey and rum).
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
But go for the electric atmosphere, the camaraderie of fans all wearing their lurid synthetic jerseys, and the gravitational pleasure of cheering for a team at its home ground (or indeed, the subversive thrill of cheering for the away team).
—Samanth Subramanian, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
Epstein and Attia appear to have maintained a familiar association over their years-long correspondence, which apparently is replete with lurid remarks, discussions of in-person visits, and offers of wellness advice.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
The Chet Baker starts with the depth of a couple ounces of aged rum, complemented with just a kiss of honey (see the Airmail cocktail for a more lurid love affair between honey and rum).
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurid
Adjective
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And Margot Robbie gives the character a sharpness, an agency that’s a relief from the wilting Catherines of yore — which actually makes her ultimate gruesome fate feel that much more tragic.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
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Prisoners endured frequent selections, some by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, known for his gruesome experiments on camp inmates.—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
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Three weeks after that hit that sent a crowd of 75,261 at Empower Field into a pallid silence, Bryant is ever the same.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Attorney to the stars Local sports teams suing one another is provocative, but not as sensational as those six weeks in 1998, when Babcock successfully defended Winfrey in Amarillo, where cattlemen brought suit after her TV show’s episode about mad cow disease.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
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Navigating such thorny topics as consent and autonomy in the throes of dementia, the film is relentless in its exploration of impossible-to-answer questions, and uses, as its vessel, three sensational performers who make its drama both luminous and entirely devastating.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Lindsey Vonn says her left leg almost needed to be amputated following her horrific crash while competing at the Milan-Cortina Olympics this month.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Lindsey Vonn’s horrific leg injury was even more serious than originally realized.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The legs of the males are pale tan, while the torso is a dark blue.—
Chloe Chapin,
Washington Post,
20 Feb. 2026
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This includes the black-and-white Courtly Check, pale-pink Rosy Check, ornate Butterfly Toile, springtime-evoking Wildflowers, and Butterfly Hill.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Her juicy Rare Beauty lip gloss (a top brand loved by Sephora teens) prompted a statement from Selena Gomez.—
Madeline Hirsch,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
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In the other, millions of Americans are following along via live streaming on Peacock, and talking about juicy off-ice gossip nearly as much as the medal events themselves.—
Scott Soshnick,
Sportico.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While Dunk emerged victorious in the trial, the battle was not without bloodshed and deaths, including a shocking one no one saw coming.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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Saturday’s loss was neither KU’s biggest home loss, nor the most shocking, of the Self era.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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From the colorful, floppy hairstyles of Korean boy band Stray Kids, or the non-binary wardrobes of trailblazing singers like G-Dragon of Big Bang and Seonghwa of ATEEZ, K-pop’s male idols have long fostered diverse expressions of masculinity.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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The colorful artworks largely depict the sensual hedonistic lifestyles of city dwellers including merchants, courtesans and kabuki actors.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lurid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurid. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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