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
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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for lurid
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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
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
See All Example Sentences for lurid
Cite this Entry
“Lurid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lurid. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
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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