1. the quality of being shocking or sensational in a way that is unpleasant or disturbing
2. the quality of having a harsh, unnatural, or glaring appearance

Examples

• The luridness of the tabloid headlines attracted readers but disgusted critics.
• She was disturbed by the luridness of the crime scene photos.
• The luridness of the neon signs made the street look cheap and tawdry.
• The novel’s luridness overshadowed its literary merit.
• The sunset’s luridness painted the sky in unnatural shades of orange and red.
• Critics complained about the luridness of the movie’s violence.