Lurid describes something shockingly vivid, sensational, or gruesome in a way that grabs attention but feels disturbing or excessive. A lurid news headline might scream about a crime in graphic, sensational detail designed to shock rather than inform. A lurid description of a haunted house might dwell on every dripping cobweb and stain, piling on the gross details until it feels over the top.

The word often suggests something is being made more sensational than it needs to be. A straightforward news story becomes lurid when it focuses on the most shocking elements while ignoring important context. A ghost story becomes lurid when the storyteller adds unnecessary gore just to make listeners squirm.