Synonyms of lurid

lurid

adjective

ˈlu̇r-əd 

1

as in gruesome

extremely disturbing or repellent

thank you for sparing us from the lurid details of the story

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gruesome
• horrific
• shocking
• nightmare
• horrible
• frightening
• horrifying
• terrible
• hideous
• terrifying
• terrific
• grisly
• dreadful
• macabre
• awful
• ghastly
• nightmarish
• appalling
• horrid
• scary
• sickening
• monstrous
• frightful
• disgusting
• horrendous
• atrocious
• grewsome
• obscene
• alarming
• fearful
• grotesque
• ugly
• loathsome
• repulsive
• dire
• revolting
• offensive
• formidable
• heinous
• forbidding
• obnoxious
• repugnant
• direful
• unspeakable
• deplorable
• odious
• vile
• abominable
• disagreeable
• intimidating
• bloodcurdling
• fearsome
• abhorrent
• distasteful
• gut-wrenching
• nauseating
• noxious
• hair-raising
• redoubtable
• evil
• heart-stopping
• noisome
• unsightly
• foul

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• attractive
• pleasant
• delightful
• delicious
• appealing
• enticing
• welcome
• satisfying
• delectable
• agreeable
• enjoyable
• pleasurable
• pleasing
• inviting
• soothing
• comforting
• cheering

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

• pallid
• pale
• paled
• ashen
• cadaverous
• pasty
• blanched
• livid
• ashy
• doughy
• wan
• sick
• mealy
• white
• peaked
• waxy
• sallow
• waxen
• sickly
• anemic
• whitened
• bloodless
• sallowish
• untanned
• white-faced
• whey-faced

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• red
• florid
• rosy
• ruddy
• sanguine
• glowing
• blooming
• flush
• pink
• rubicund
• full-blooded
• flushed
• blushing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sensational
• juicy
• colorful
• screaming
• sensationalistic
• sensationalist
• theatrical
• theatric
• dramatic
• gee-whiz
• catchpenny
• suggestive
• shocking
• racy
• melodramatic
• gory
• catchy
• histrionic
• vulgar
• coarse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• innocuous
• tame
• inoffensive
• nonsensational
• proper
• formal
• dignified
• restrained

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lurid different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of lurid are ghastly, grisly, gruesome, and macabre. While all these words mean "horrifying and repellent in appearance or aspect," lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.

the lurid details of a crime

When might ghastly be a better fit than lurid?

While the synonyms ghastly and lurid are close in meaning, ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.

a ghastly accident

How do grisly and gruesome relate to one another, in the sense of lurid?

Both grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.

an unusually grisly murder

suffered a gruesome death

Where would macabre be a reasonable alternative to lurid?

The synonyms macabre and lurid are sometimes interchangeable, but macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.

a macabre tale of premature burial

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lurid

Headlines about the case have at times focused on its more lurid details, like the roughly 1,000 bottles of baby oil and personal lubricant seized from his home during a March 2024 search conducted by federal authorities. —Sandra Gonzalez, CNN Money, 4 May 2025

Ruth, we’re told, is a great writer but initially tries too hard to imagine stories outside her own experience, including a particularly lurid tale involving a couple on safari. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 May 2025

Cohen turns this tabloid whodunit into a searching examination of the American dream, our fascination with lurid tragedy and the cost of perfection. —John Cassidy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

The paintings of John Sloan emanate a similar energy, his famous Village nightscape balancing the weight of the brownstones against the lurid glow of electricity. —Russell Shorto, Air Mail, 5 Apr. 2025