livid
adjective
liv·id ˈli-vəd 
1
: discolored by bruising : black-and-blue
the livid traces of the sharp scourges
Abraham Cowley
Abraham Cowley2
: ashen, pallid
this cross, thy livid face, thy pierced hands and feet Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman3
: reddish
a fan of gladiolas blushed livid under the electric letters Truman Capote
Truman Capote4
: very angry : enraged
was livid at his son's disobedience
lividness
ˈli-vəd-nəs
noun 
Did you know?
Livid has a colorful history. The Latin adjective lividus means "dull, grayish, or leaden blue." From this came the French livide, which English borrowed as livid. The word can describe flesh discolored by a bruise or an appearance deficient in color. Eventually, it came to be used for the complexion of a person pale with anger (i.e., "a person livid with rage"). From this meaning came two new senses: "reddish," as one is as likely to become red with anger as pale; the other was simply "angry" or "furious."
Synonyms
- angered
- angry
- apoplectic
- ballistic
- cheesed off [chiefly British]
- choleric
- enraged
- foaming
- fuming
- furious
- hopping
- horn-mad
- hot
- incensed
- indignant
- inflamed
- enflamed
- infuriate
- infuriated
- irate
- ireful
- mad
- outraged
- rabid
- rankled
- riled
- riley
- roiled
- shirty [chiefly British]
- sore
- steamed up
- steaming
- teed off
- ticked
- wrathful
- wroth
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the boss was livid when yet another deadline was missed her face was livid with fear
Recent Examples on the Web One of Norton's workout buddies in town remains livid about his pal's fall due to his mask. Deirdre Reilly, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2022 Otto is triumphant, Corlys is livid and Rhaenyra feels betrayed. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 29 Aug. 2022 According to another account of the meeting published by Axios, Flynn became livid. New York Times, 4 Feb. 2022 Although his team won 62-7, former NFL QB Trent Dilfer became livid at something one of his football players did during Lipscomb Academy's victory over Independence on Friday. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2021 Many vulnerable Democrats were livid, threatening to sink a procedural vote that was necessary to pass the legislation. Arkansas Online, 30 July 2022 In another county, a commission chairman pounded a gavel frantically and ordered law enforcement to clear livid protesters from the room. Fox News, 18 June 2022 In another county, a commission chairman pounded a gavel frantically and ordered law enforcement to clear livid protesters from the room. Susan Montoya Bryan, Morgan Lee, Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2022 Tartaglia was livid, even though Cardano acknowledged his work in the book. Quanta Magazine, 30 June 2022 See More
Deirdre Reilly, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2022 Otto is triumphant, Corlys is livid and Rhaenyra feels betrayed. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 29 Aug. 2022 According to another account of the meeting published by Axios, Flynn became livid. New York Times, 4 Feb. 2022 Although his team won 62-7, former NFL QB Trent Dilfer became livid at something one of his football players did during Lipscomb Academy's victory over Independence on Friday. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2021 Many vulnerable Democrats were livid, threatening to sink a procedural vote that was necessary to pass the legislation. Arkansas Online, 30 July 2022 In another county, a commission chairman pounded a gavel frantically and ordered law enforcement to clear livid protesters from the room. Fox News, 18 June 2022 In another county, a commission chairman pounded a gavel frantically and ordered law enforcement to clear livid protesters from the room. Susan Montoya Bryan, Morgan Lee, Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2022 Tartaglia was livid, even though Cardano acknowledged his work in the book. Quanta Magazine, 30 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French livide, from Latin lividus, from livēre to be blue; akin to Welsh lliw color and probably to Russian sliva plum
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
livid
adjective
liv·id ˈli-vəd
1
: very angry
2
: pale as ashes
Her face was livid with fear.
3
: discolored by bruising His cheek was livid.
Medical Definition
livid
adjective
liv·id ˈliv-əd
: discolored by bruising : black-and-blue
livid
adjective
1
as in angry
feeling or showing anger the boss was livid when yet another deadline was missed Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- angry
- outraged
- enraged
- infuriated
- angered
- indignant
- furious
- mad
- infuriate
- ballistic
- incensed
- fuming
- annoyed
- irate
- apoplectic
- sore
- passionate
- riled
- rabid
- rankled
- ticked
- steaming
- inflamed
- irritable
- wrathful
- hot
- foaming
- roiled
- choleric
- shirty
- wroth
- riley
- exasperated
- steamed up
- seething
- enflamed
- hopping
- aggravated
- hot under the collar
- raving
- cheesed off
- going crook
- ireful
- hopping mad
- blue in the face
- bent out of shape
- teed off
- fit to be tied
- in a huff
- in a pet
- ranting
- bristling
- resentful
- vindictive
- boiling
- embittered
- horn-mad
- cross
- spiteful
- perturbed
- smoldering
- huffy
- in a fume
- unpleasant
- burning
- virulent
- antagonistic
- vengeful
- worked up
- acrimonious
- rancorous
- acrid
- vitriolic
- antipathetic
- sulky
- bristly
- bilious
- sizzling
- petulant
- disagreeable
- malevolent
- distant
- fretful
- stormy
- bitter
- churlish
- peevish
- piqued
- icy
- testy
- disapproving
- inimical
- belligerent
- snappish
- unfriendly
- put out
- antisocial
- grouchy
- grumpy
- cantankerous
- touchy
- frigid
- irascible
- cold
- dyspeptic
- crabby
- ornery
- pugnacious
- smouldering
- querulous
- inflammable
- contentious
- cranky
- cool
- sorehead
- contrary
- quarrelsome
- bearish
- fussy
- ill-tempered
- argumentative
- soreheaded
- disputatious
- wrought (up)
- ill-humored
- quick-tempered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- delighted
- pleased
- happy
- sympathetic
- accommodating
- accepting
- agreeable
- friendly
- amenable
- cordial
- complaisant
- satisfied
- obliging
- amicable
- calm
- content
- tolerant
- angerless
- serene
- pleasant
- empathetic
- placid
- kind
- understanding
- sweet
- tranquil
- amiable
- affable
- pacific
- peaceable
- easygoing
- genial
- unembittered
- good-natured
- good-tempered
2
as in pallid
lacking a healthy skin color her face was livid with fear Synonyms & Similar Words
- pallid
- pale
- paled
- ashen
- blanched
- wan
- sick
- pasty
- lurid
- ashy
- doughy
- cadaverous
- mealy
- sallow
- white
- peaked
- waxen
- sickly
- waxy
- whitened
- anemic
- sallowish
- bloodless
- untanned
- whey-faced
- white-faced
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- red
- ruddy
- sanguine
- glowing
- rosy
- florid
- blooming
- flush
- flushed
- pink
- blushing
- rubicund
- full-blooded
- polar projection
- polar ray
- polar telescope
- polar triangle
- polar valence
- polar whale
- polarer
- polares
- polarest
- polaric
- polarimeter
- polarimeters
- polarimetric
- polarimetries
- polarimetry
- Polaris
- polarisabilities
- polarisability
- polarisation
- polarisations
- polariscope
- polariscopes
- polariscopic
- polarise
- polarised