ghastly suggests the terrifying aspects of corpses and ghosts.
a ghastly accident
grisly and gruesome suggest additionally the results of extreme violence or cruelty.
an unusually grisly murder
suffered a gruesome death
macabre implies a morbid preoccupation with the physical aspects of death.
a macabre tale of premature burial
lurid adds to gruesome the suggestion of shuddering fascination with violent death and especially with murder.
the lurid details of a crime
Example Sentences
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 WebThe lurid media attention made D&D a household name. Elizabeth Hand, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 Outside, a lurid amethyst haze blankets the city, casting a purplish hue over everything and requiring anyone who leaves home to wear a mask.The New Yorker, 29 June 2022 There’s also a good amount of raw violence in this show, and no lack of harsh language, but Delhi Crime doesn’t feel lurid or exploitative. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 26 Aug. 2022 This lurid language is a cousin to the theological zealotry that inspires radicals to lash out against writers. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2022 The damages award capped off a lurid week-and-a-half trial in which Mr. Jones and his lawyer sparred with the plaintiffs and were repeatedly admonished by the judge for breaking the rules of the court. Rob Copeland, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 The front-runner for the Arizona gubernatorial nomination is a full-on election truther who is wielding her lurid conspiracy theories as a weapon in the primary. The Editors, National Review, 1 Aug. 2022 On Monday, Bolsonaro gathered foreign diplomats in the capital of Brasília to lay out a lurid theory of how the country's voting machines are rigged. David Faris, The Week, 21 July 2022 In contrast to the lurid sensationalism of Hulu’s other recent docuseries about a trendy millennial brand (at this rate, can a searing exposé on Juicy Couture be far behind?), this one is ambitious in scope and sober in tone. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 July 2022 See More