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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lurid
All that lends the experience of watching Purpose with imprimatur of the real, an effect that’s both stately and impishly lurid: See what America’s Black elite are really like behind closed doors.
—
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Mar. 2025
These lurid discoveries underscored the threat of more bureaucratic episodes in the history of tax data sharing, including the controversy over the USDA’s statistical program.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Mar. 2025
These lurid discoveries underscored the threat of more bureaucratic episodes in the history of tax data sharing, including the controversy over the USDA’s statistical program.
—Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurid
Adjective
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But Trump and Epstein’s association has been out in the open for nearly a quarter century; nineties-era footage of the gruesome twosome together at Mar-a-Lago, leering at a group of young cheerleaders, has been circulating since at least 2019.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
6 June 2025
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Six decades later, Hamas would engage in a gruesome competition with Fatah to outdo one another with terrorist attacks during the 1990s and early 2000s.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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My skin was pallid, and lesions covered the inside of my mouth.—
Suleika Jaouad,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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The paintings are brushy and pallid, seemingly hinting at a dissatisfaction with commodified products such as these.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Social media has introduced us to a different type of bait: Clickbait — provocative, sensational or emotionally appealing content in social media posts, headlines, videos and other platforms with the intent of luring clicks, shares or likes.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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The paperwork for Johnson’s trial — along with images of some of the handwritten documents — were officially entered into the court’s electronic court docketing system in 2021, marking a final chapter in a sensational saga that garnered international headlines.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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That this horrific upheaval comes care of Lucy’s work is the real kicker.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 June 2025
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This is what Qasem Hassan had feared from the start—that the horrific violence inflicted on Israelis on October 7th would be used to justify a war without limits, dehumanizing all Palestinians.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
Senator Lindsey Graham is running for a fifth term, though his approval numbers pale in comparison to other Republicans lawmakers from South Carolina, according to recent polling.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
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The heart of Paris, now as then, spans the colors of a March sky at dusk: pale gold, chilly white, slate blue.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Southern Living contributor Rick Bragg says the recipe is actually very simple: squishy white brand, salt and pepper, generous smears of mayo, and slices of juicy tomatoes.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
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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.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Continuing a recent pattern of face-to-furniture collisions on the talk show, the 69-year-old's head made a momentous journey plummeting toward the program's storied table at the top of Tuesday's live broadcast, after panelist Joy Behar made a shocking joke about Sean Combs.—
Joey Nolfi Published,
EW.com,
3 June 2025
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Sunday’s result was shocking because DeRias had been so good as a freshman this season, entering this game with a 3.98 ERA.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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Two panoramic terraces look out onto Positano and the sea, framed by leafy plants, colorful throw pillows and flapping curtains that add a touch of mystic to the whole ambiance.—
Livia Hengel,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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The lavish residence, a boxy, stark white contemporary jazzed up with a colorful lighting scheme, stands out among its Mediterranean Revival neighbors.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lurid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lurid. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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