1
a
: causing horror or revulsion : gruesome
The tabloids gave all the lurid details of floating wreckage and dismembered bodies.
b
2
a
: wan and ghastly pale in appearance
frightened to death by the lurid waxworks—
Sara H. Hay
Sara H. Hay
b
: of any of several light or medium grayish colors ranging in hue from yellow to orange
3
: shining with the red glow of fire seen through smoke or cloud
lurid flames
luridly
adverb
luridness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of lurid in a Sentence
a lurid tale of violence and betrayal
the lurid lighting of a nightclub
The light from the fire cast a lurid glow on everything.
Recent Examples on the Web
To excavate the characters and the scenes of the campaign is to map a political environment in which only the most heightened and lurid version of events is vivid enough to capture the public’s attention.
—The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
A lot of movies in this subset of vampire stories are entertaining or lurid or both, but this one from director Emily Harris is actually a good movie, too.
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024
Flash forward 92-plus years to Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a bleak, lurid festival of racist hate and profane vituperation so vile that even fellow Republicans, who have turned a blind eye to Trump’s character for years, are distancing themselves from the event.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
In addition to riling the MPAA, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s lurid, controversial title would end up putting it directly into the crosshairs of the nation’s squeamish and easily offended critics.
—Chris Nashawaty, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lurid 
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The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
A lot of movies in this subset of vampire stories are entertaining or lurid or both, but this one from director Emily Harris is actually a good movie, too.
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024
Flash forward 92-plus years to Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a bleak, lurid festival of racist hate and profane vituperation so vile that even fellow Republicans, who have turned a blind eye to Trump’s character for years, are distancing themselves from the event.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024
In addition to riling the MPAA, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s lurid, controversial title would end up putting it directly into the crosshairs of the nation’s squeamish and easily offended critics.
—Chris Nashawaty, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lurid
Dictionary Entries Near lurid
Cite this Entry
“Lurid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lurid. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lurid
adjective
lu·rid
ˈlu̇r-əd 
1
a
: causing horror or disgust : gruesome
lurid tales of murder
b
: sensational sense 2
lurid book covers
2
: lifelessly pale : wan
3
: shining with the red glow of fire seen through smoke
luridly
adverb
luridness
noun
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