draw blood
idiom
1
: to take blood from a person's body for medical reasons
We need to draw some blood to test you for the virus.
2
: to cause blood to flow from a person's body
The punch to the nose drew blood.
—sometimes used figuratively to suggest intensity or aggressivenessSome politicians view debates as chances to draw blood from their opponents.
Examples of draw blood in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Those able to unearth flaws or even draw blood from the reigning champs warrant conversation.
—
Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Beyond the myriad complications that come with diabetes, patients have to additionally put up with regular blood sugar testing – which involves either multiple pin pricks a day to draw blood or wearing a continuous glucose monitor patch that needs to be replaced every couple of weeks.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 4 Dec. 2025
And once Norvell starts trusting Dupree to carry the Rams home, those punches are going to draw blood.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
On the other end, leading in work more immune to AI changes were phlebotomists, or healthcare workers who draw blood, followed by nursing assistants, workers who remove hazardous materials, painters and embalmers.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for draw blood
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Beyond the myriad complications that come with diabetes, patients have to additionally put up with regular blood sugar testing – which involves either multiple pin pricks a day to draw blood or wearing a continuous glucose monitor patch that needs to be replaced every couple of weeks.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 4 Dec. 2025
And once Norvell starts trusting Dupree to carry the Rams home, those punches are going to draw blood.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
On the other end, leading in work more immune to AI changes were phlebotomists, or healthcare workers who draw blood, followed by nursing assistants, workers who remove hazardous materials, painters and embalmers.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for draw blood
Cite this Entry
“Draw blood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/draw%20blood. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share