SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus
view recents

blood and iron

noun
Save Word

Definition of blood and iron

: reliance on and use of force especially : the use of military power rather than normal diplomatic means

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for blood and iron

translation of German blut und eisen

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More About blood and iron

Dictionary Entries Near blood and iron

blood-and-guts

blood and iron

blood and thunder

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for blood and iron

Cite this Entry

“Blood and iron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blood%20and%20iron. Accessed 23 Oct. 2021.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon
Seen & Heard
People are talking about

WORD OF THE DAY

bogus

Listen to the pronunciation of bogus

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Farm Idioms Quiz

  • cow coming home
  • What does 'poke' refer to in the expression 'pig in a poke'?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games