1
as in gruesome
extremely disturbing or repellent
thank you for sparing us from the lurid details of the story
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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
The actors sprang to life, staging a lurid scene in which an evil mistress named Selina frames the heroine for killing her unborn child.
—
Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
The Cascio’s lawsuit paints a lurid picture of Jackson giving the siblings drugs and alcohol and exposing them to child pornography, all to help facilitate the abuse and manipulation.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
This film comes from the same director as the Albert Fish documentary above, so don’t expect a delicate delivery; the modus operandi here is stock footage and lurid detail.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
The electricity of this Ivanov can sometimes give it a lurid, Frankenstein-ish quality, and the unabashed intensity works.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
The Cascio’s lawsuit paints a lurid picture of Jackson giving the siblings drugs and alcohol and exposing them to child pornography, all to help facilitate the abuse and manipulation.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
This film comes from the same director as the Albert Fish documentary above, so don’t expect a delicate delivery; the modus operandi here is stock footage and lurid detail.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
The electricity of this Ivanov can sometimes give it a lurid, Frankenstein-ish quality, and the unabashed intensity works.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurid
Adjective
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The teens recorded their attack Monday and the gruesome 10 minute video was widely shared to a website where people post videos depicting extreme violence.—
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
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Similarly economical and granularly detailed is a 20-minute sequence in the middle of the film that’s gruesome, comical and crucial to the propulsion of the story.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Opponents of the proposal want the county to consider different locations for the park site, arguing the project may harm a variety of native species to the area, including the western spadefoot toad and pallid bats.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 May 2026
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While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Veteran Cassel has never been better and is well matched with both an edgy Niney (The Count of Monte Cristo) and a sensational Efira, who has two films in Cannes this year the other being Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s Soudain.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
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Kiffin sat down with Vanity Fair at the beginning of the month to discuss a whole grab bag of topics, but the most sensational headlines came from his comments regarding his former employer, Ole Miss.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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And also, the way that the wish is impacting Bear is ultimately horrific.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
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But a new era of DEI was ushered in after the horrific murder of George Floyd.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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The style is also available in a vibrant red, classic black, subtle ivory, and playful pale blue.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
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The pistachio pudding gives both the cake and frosting a natural pale green hue.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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The result serves as a juicy showcase for the king of crazy-brilliant characters, Nicolas Cage, as well as a slick addition to the noir genre, complete with eye-catching cinematography that adds to the series’ oddball appeal.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
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The Residence combines the twisty appeal of a murder mystery with juicy upstairs-downstairs intrigue, opting not to subvert its genre conventions but to lovingly embrace them.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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As shocking as this slush fund is, it should best be understood as one more test for what the administration can get away with.—
The Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 May 2026
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Slaten endured a shocking meltdown, allowing a pair of two-run home runs that put the Twins ahead in Boston’s eventual 8-6 loss.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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In contrast to something like Coruscant, which feels very bustling, vibrant and colorful.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
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Curated by creative director of more than five years Fausto Puglisi, the collection pivoted from Cavalli’s animal prints and colorful designs for a subdued assortment.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lurid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurid. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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