bloodthirsty

adjective

blood·​thirsty ˈbləd-ˌthər-stē 

: eager for or marked by the shedding of blood, violence, or killing

bloodthirstily

ˈbləd-ˌthər-stə-lē 

adverb

bloodthirstiness

ˈbləd-ˌthər-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of bloodthirsty

• murderous
• murdering
• savage

Examples of bloodthirsty in a Sentence

the Goths were a wild and bloodthirsty people

Recent Examples on the Web

Through its complex depiction of a bloodthirsty mob, M explores the disturbingly violent tendencies inherent in human nature. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026

Critics and audiences alike went gaga over Sam Reid’s glammed-out turn as a bloodthirsty vampire gone rock star in AMC’s The Vampire Lestat. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026

The sight of Anne Hathaway dressed in a denim co-ord and blasting a bloodthirsty Allosaurus in the face with a shotgun fixes that absence real fast. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026

In more recent years, the culture wars waged by India’s ruling Hindu nationalists have complicated the image of Tipu and his father, who some now have recast as bloodthirsty Muslim warlords rather than icons of national resistance. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 2 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bloodthirsty

• thirsty

Kids Definition

bloodthirsty

adjective

blood·​thirsty ˈbləd-ˌthər-stē 

: eager to hurt or kill : cruel

bloodthirstily

-stə-lē 

adverb

bloodthirstiness

-stē-nəs 

noun