Synonyms of gory

gory

adjective

ˈgȯr-ē 

as in bloody

smeared or stained with blood

doesn't watch too many movies that feature gory violence

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bloody
• red
• reddish
• bloodstained
• crimson
• ruby
• carmine
• sanguinary
• sanguineous
• bloodred
• sanguine
• incarnadine

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective gory contrast with its synonyms?

The words bloody and sanguinary are common synonyms of gory. While all three words mean "affected by or involving the shedding of blood," gory suggests a profusion of blood and slaughter.

exceptionally gory, even for a horror movie

Where would bloody be a reasonable alternative to gory?

Although the words bloody and gory have much in common, bloody is applied especially to things that are actually covered with blood or are made up of blood.

bloody hands

When might sanguinary be a better fit than gory?

In some situations, the words sanguinary and gory are roughly equivalent. However, sanguinary applies especially to something attended by, or someone inclined to, bloodshed.

the Civil War was America's most sanguinary conflict

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of gory

A lot of true crime content is salacious and gory, full of reenactments and shock. —Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025

Those not chronically online might instinctively recoil at the term brain rot, with its vaguely gory connotations, especially as concern about the potential harms of social media for adolescents mounts. —Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025

That’s when the demo ushered in a wave of gory action involving visceral melee combat and gunplay. —Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025

There is certainly a body count in some of the more gory selections, like the 1996 cult classic Bound. —Quispe López, Them., 29 Aug. 2025