Definition

Noun: 1. The quality of being ghastly or shockingly vivid: The state of being unpleasantly bright in color, gruesome, or horrifying, often in a way that is sensational or disturbing. 2. An unnatural lack of color in the skin: Paleness or pallor resulting from illness, fear, shock, or emotional distress. 3. The journalistic use of subject matter that appeals to vulgar tastes: The quality of being sensational, shocking, or melodramatic, especially in media, often involving violence, sex, or scandal.

Usage and Examples

• As a quality of being ghastly or vivid:
  • The luridness of the crime scene photos made them difficult to view.
  • The artist used the luridness of neon greens and pinks to create a sense of artificiality.
• As an unnatural paleness:
  • The luridness of his face after the accident alarmed the paramedics.
  • Her cheeks lost their color, replaced by a sickly luridness.
• As sensationalism in media:
  • The newspaper was criticized for the luridness of its headlines.
  • The documentary avoided luridness, focusing instead on factual reporting.

Advanced Usage

• "The luridness of the details": Emphasizes how the specific, often gruesome, aspects of a story are presented in a shockingly vivid manner.
  • The report was notable for the luridness of the details, which many felt were unnecessary.
• "A tale told with luridness": Describes a narrative that is recounted with excessive focus on sensational or horrifying elements.
  • He recounted his adventure with a certain luridness that captivated his audience.

Variants and Related Words

• Lurid (adjective): Having the qualities of luridness.
  • lurid colors, a lurid description, a lurid sky.
• Sensationalism (noun): The use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy, to provoke public interest or excitement. This is a close synonym for the journalistic sense of .
• Ghastliness (noun): The quality of being frightful or horrifying. This is a close synonym for the first sense of .
• Pallor (noun): An unhealthy pale appearance. This is a close synonym for the second sense of .

Synonyms

• Ghastliness
• Gruesomeness
• Sensationalism
• Garishness (specifically for color)
• Paleness
• Pallor

Antonyms

• Subtlety
• Restraint
• Naturalism
• Rosiness (for complexion)
• Understatement

Noun

1. the quality of being ghastly
2. unnatural lack of color in the skin (as from bruising or sickness or emotional distress)
3. the journalistic use of subject matter that appeals to vulgar tastes
   • the tabloids relied on sensationalism to maintain their circulation