bloodstream

noun

blood·​stream ˈbləd-ˌstrēm 

1

: the flowing blood in a circulatory system

2

: a mainstream of power or vitality

… introduce into the economic bloodstream a large amount of money …

—Harper's

Examples of bloodstream in a Sentence

The drug is now entering the bloodstream.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, caffeine from the pouches is absorbed into the bloodstream and the effects are felt in minutes. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

In January 2020, a small, clinical study conducted by the FDA, was published in JAMA and found that some chemical sunscreen filters—even after just a single application—did more than just sit on the skin and could enter the bloodstream. — Tracy Middleton, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026

Hormone replacement therapy can be delivered in a number of ways, including options like pills, patches, sprays or gels, or a vaginal ring that can deliver doses of hormones directly into the bloodstream. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Only a small portion of each dose is absorbed, and any peptide that reaches the bloodstream is cleared by the kidney. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bloodstream

• abeam
• airstream
• daydream
• downstream
• esteem
• extreme
• grapheme
• hakim
• hornbeam
• lexeme
• mainstream
• midstream

Kids Definition

bloodstream

noun

blood·​stream -ˌstrēm 

: the flowing blood in a living thing with a circulatory system

Medical Definition

bloodstream

noun

blood·​stream -ˌstrēm 

: the flowing blood in a circulatory system