luridness n 1: the journalistic use of subject matter that appeals to vulgar tastes; "the tabloids relied on sensationalism to maintain their circulation" [syn: {sensationalism}] 2: unnatural lack of color in the skin (as from bruising or sickness or emotional distress) [syn: {lividness}, {lividity}, {paleness}, {pallidness}, {pallor}, {wanness}, {achromasia}] 3: the quality of being ghastly [syn: {ghastliness}, {grimness}, {gruesomeness}]