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

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

From Los Angeles Times

She subsequently sold the rights to her husband’s novel to Universal Pictures, despite the head of the studio, Carl Laemmle Sr., declaring: “I don’t believe in horror pictures. It’s morbid.”

From Slate

“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

It’s not exactly a morbid mood inside the small, circular library of Wainwright’s home in Laurel Canyon, the October sun shining warmly on the bear rug and floor-to-ceiling books — but the conversation does begin with death.

From Los Angeles Times

The 25-year-old visited the mansion on Wednesday on her day off from work and said she was initially drawn to the home by her morbid fascination with true crime documentaries — she had also visited Benedict Canyon in Beverly Hills where the Manson murders happened.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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