Meaning & use

lurid

adjective·Advanced

Shockingly vivid or sensational, especially in describing violence or scandal, or unpleasantly bright in color.

See it in a sentence

The tabloid ran a lurid account of the celebrity scandal on its front page.

The sunset turned a lurid shade of orange, almost too bright to look at directly.

A note on using this word

Lurid usually carries a disapproving tone, suggesting excessive or tasteless detail meant to shock rather than simply inform.

Words with a similar meaning

sensationalgraphicgarish

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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