Day after day the tabloids titillated the public with lurid details about the president's marital infidelity.
Source: tatoeba (733770)
Lurid
/ˈl(j)ʊə.ɹɪd/
Synonyms for "lurid" (330 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (66)
achromaticachromicaffectedaglowanemicappallingashenashyawfulbalefulbarnumesquebawdybedizenedbeigebig-soundingblanchedblatantbled whiteblindingbloodless
Show 46 more words
bluebrassybrazenbrazenfacedbrickybrownbrownishbrownish-yellowbrunetburningcadaverouscardinalcarminecarnationcarneliancerisecherrycherry-coloredcherry-redchloranemicchocolatecinnamoncloak-and-daggercocoacocoa-browncoffeecoffee-browncolorfulcolorlessconspicuousconvolutedcorpselikecrimsoncrudedamaskdeaddeadlydeadly paledeathlikedeathlydeathly paledeclamatorydimdimmeddingydirty
Strong matches (99)
discoloreddisgustingdoughydrabdulldundun-browndun-drabecrueerieelevatedetiolatedeuphuisticexsanguinatedexsanguineexsanguineousextravagantfadedfaintfallow
Show 74 more words
fawnfawn-coloredfearfulferruginousfescenninefieryfilthyfire-redflagrantflamboyantflame-coloredflame-redflamingflaringflashyflatflauntingfoulfoul mouthedfoul tonguedfoul-mouthedfoul-spokenfoul-tonguedfrightfulfulsomefuscousgarishgaudyghastlyghostlikeghostlyglaringgloweringglowinggongoresquegorgeousgorygrandiloquentgrandiosegrandisonantgraphicgraygregegreygrimgrislygruesomeguleshaggardhazelhideoushigh flownhigh flyinghigh soundinghigh-flowinghigh-flownhigh-flyinghigh-soundinghighfalutinhorrendoushorriblehorridhorrifyinghothuelesshypochromicimpureincarminedinflamedinfraredinkhorniron-redithyphallicjohnsonian
Related words (165)
juicykhakilabyrinthinelacklusterlake-coloredlakylasciviouslateritiousleadenlewdlexiphaniclividlobster-redloftyloudlusterlessmacabremagniloquentmaleficmaroon
Show 138 more words
matmealymelodramaticmeretriciousmortuarymuddynastyneutralnut-brownobsceneobtrusiveoffensiveolive-brownolive-draborotundostentatiousoverbrightoverdoneoverelaborateoverinvolvedoverwroughtpalepale as deathpale-facedpallidpastypedanticpompouspornographicport-winepretentiousprurientpucepulprabelaisianrankraunchyrawredred-dyedred-lookingreddenedreddishreddish-amberreddish-brownrevoltingrhetoricalribaldrubicundrubiginousrubricrubricoserubyruby-coloredruby-redruddiedruddyrufescentrufousrustrust-redrustysalacioussallowscarletscreamingscurrilescurriloussealseal-brownsensationalsensationalisticsententioussepiashamelessshockingshowyshriekingsicklysinistersmoking-roomsmuttysnuff-coloredsonoroussorrelspectacularspine-chillingstammelstartlingstiltedsultrytabloidtalltallow-facedtantannedtaupetawdrytawnyterribleterrifyingtile-redtitiantitian-redtoasttoast-browntonelesstortuousumberumber-coloreduncannyunchasteuncleanuncoloredunearthlyunprintableunrepeatablevermilionvilevinaceousvividvulgarwalnutwalnut-brownwanwarmwashed outwashed-outwaxenweakweirdwhey-facedwhitewinewine-coloredwine-redyellowyellowish-brown
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: achromatic, achromic, affected, aglow, anemic.
- Sentence evidence is available for lurid, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "lurid".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "lurid"
Keep "lurid" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "lurid" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "lurid", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "lurid" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesMore specific
6 entriesgarish palettegaudy colorgraphic descriptiongraphic detailgrisly sceneneon glow
Collocations
5 entrieslurid colorlurid descriptionlurid detailslurid paintinglurid press coverage
Inflections
2 entriesmore luridmost lurid
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
5 entriesSample sentences
11 total sentences available.
Clouds the darkened heavens have drowned, / and snatched the daylight from the Trojans' eyes. / Black night broods on the waters; all around / from pole to pole the rattling peals resound / and frequent flashes light the lurid air. / All nature, big with instant ruin, frowned / destruction.
Source: tatoeba (6779630)
Then, amid the lurid light, / I see Troy sinking in the flames around, / and mighty Neptune's walls laid level with the ground.
Source: tatoeba (6857952)
The article has a lurid title.
Source: tatoeba (10520290)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "lurid"?
Closest matches include achromatic, achromic, affected, aglow, anemic.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "lurid"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.