bloodshed

noun

blood·​shed ˈbləd-ˌshed How to pronounce bloodshed (audio)
Synonyms of bloodshednext
1
: the shedding of blood
2
: the taking of life : slaughter

Examples of bloodshed in a Sentence

Years of violence and bloodshed have left much of the country in ruins.
Recent Examples on the Web
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The war has seen bloodshed throughout the Middle East, notably in Lebanon where Israeli forces are moving into the southern part of the country. Michael Loria, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026 But for all its bloodshed, the movie’s not sharp enough to land a cutting blow — or even to break skin. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026 The 16th and 17th century wars of religion saw reformers like Martin Luther painting the Roman Catholic Church in apocalyptic terms resulting in much bloodshed and likely persuading the Founding Fathers to include the disestablishment clause in the Constitution. Chloe Breyer, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026 The pieces are all in place for a viciously enjoyable midnight action romp, which the film most certainly is when the bloodshed first begins. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bloodshed

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bloodshed was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Bloodshed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloodshed. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

bloodshed

noun
blood·​shed -ˌshed How to pronounce bloodshed (audio)
1
: the shedding of blood
2
: the taking of life : slaughter

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