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
The tiny sensor sits on your arm and doesn’t require you to draw blood.
—
Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
In the most recent episode, the clans form a temporary détente at the funeral of Tommy Stevenson (Felix Edwards), with Conrad’s devious wife Maeve (Helen Mirren) scheming to draw blood behind his back.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
But testing options have long been limited: Typically, doctors either draw blood to measure levels of immune cells or antibodies, or have children breathe into a mouthpiece to measure the nitric oxide in their breath.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 2 Jan. 2025
During plasma exchange, clinicians draw blood, then separate out and discard its plasma.
—Jamie Ducharme, Health, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for draw blood
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Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
In the most recent episode, the clans form a temporary détente at the funeral of Tommy Stevenson (Felix Edwards), with Conrad’s devious wife Maeve (Helen Mirren) scheming to draw blood behind his back.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
But testing options have long been limited: Typically, doctors either draw blood to measure levels of immune cells or antibodies, or have children breathe into a mouthpiece to measure the nitric oxide in their breath.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 2 Jan. 2025
During plasma exchange, clinicians draw blood, then separate out and discard its plasma.
—Jamie Ducharme, Health, 6 June 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 10 Jul. 2025.
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