morbid

[ mawr-bid ]

adjective

1. suggesting an unhealthy mental state or attitude; unwholesomely gloomy, sensitive, extreme, etc.:

   a morbid interest in death.

   Antonyms: cheerful

2. affected by, caused by, causing, or characteristic of disease.

   Synonyms: sickly, sick, unhealthy, diseased, unwholesome

   Antonyms: healthy

3. pertaining to diseased parts:

   morbid anatomy.

4. gruesome; grisly.

morbid

/ ˈmɔːbɪd /

adjective

1. having an unusual interest in death or unpleasant events
2. gruesome
3. relating to or characterized by disease; pathologic

   a morbid growth

Derived Forms

• ˈmorbidly, adverb
• ˈmorbidness, noun

Other Words From

• morbid·ly adverb
• morbid·ness noun
• pre·morbid adjective
• pre·morbid·ly adverb
• pre·morbid·ness noun
• un·morbid adjective
• un·morbid·ly adverb
• un·morbid·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of morbid¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin morbidus “sickly,” from morb(us) “disease, sickness” + -idus -id ⁴

Word History and Origins

Origin of morbid¹

C17: from Latin morbidus sickly, from morbus illness

Example Sentences

Ms Rebbeck also looked for information about the 33-year-old that was not connected with the her duties multiple times, which the panel heard had “centred on her own morbid curiosity”.

From BBC

For decades, the apparent phenomenon of the so-called 27 Club has captured the public’s morbid fascination.

From Los Angeles Times

“That sounds like a morbid thought, but we live in California. There could be an earthquake or a fire at any moment. So when we wake up in the morning, we shouldn’t be upset. ‘

From Los Angeles Times

Sister Megan is a virginal bride of Christ, and a journalist with a morbid fascination with serial killers and crime scenes.

From Salon

This is what we inflict on each other — if not literally, then through the morbid fascination that’s led to an entire cottage industry of exploiting the worst crimes against humanity.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ghastly
• ghoulish
• grim
• gruesome
• macabre
• melancholy
• pessimistic
• unnatural