LURID Synonyms: 147 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

lurid

adjective

ˈlu̇r-əd

Definition of lurid next

as in gruesome

extremely disturbing or repellent thank you for sparing us from the lurid details of the story

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of lurid The tax trial was expected to showcase more potentially lurid evidence as well as details about Biden’s foreign business dealings, which Republicans have seized on to try to paint the Biden family as corrupt. —

Amy Taxin, Deepa Bharath, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024 The tax trial was expected to showcase more potentially lurid evidence as well as details about Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, which Republicans have seized on to try to paint the Biden family as corrupt. —

Deepa Bharath, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2024 Like many people in the summer of 1974, he was feeling burned out by the Patty Hearst kidnapping, the Watergate scandal, and other lurid headlines. —

Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2024 And while there’s no shortage of lurid stories about moneyed interests winning in Washington — especially in finance — political scientists have struggled to document whether, overall, corporate America typically gets its money’s worth from lobbying. —

Timothy Noah, Washington Post, 9 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for lurid

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lurid

Adjective

One popular, gruesome theory has it that a truck ran her over and then sped away, but what happened for sure, no one can tell.

Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Before his gruesome leg injury, the 24-year-old pass-rusher was on pace to secure an NFL Defensive Player of the Year trophy.

Jesse Reed, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024