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

Davidsen bucks up her balky husband with a bloodthirsty holler, stiffens her voice against doubt, and, in her final sleepwalking scene, taps into the tender stratum of Lady Macbeth’s subconscious. — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

In the show’s two-hour series premiere, host Alan Cumming welcomed 22 appropriately bloodthirsty competitors to his Scottish castle and immediately threw them into the deep end of the loch. — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Excuse me, but where is the decency and humanity from these bloodthirsty fiends ogling and angling to get their photos, undoubtedly for posting on social media? — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 7 Sep. 2026

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

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