flesh and blood

noun

1

a

: corporeal nature as composed of flesh and of blood

"This must be the devil, and no man of flesh and blood," whispered the yeoman …

—Sir Walter Scott

b

: a human being

more than flesh and blood can bear

2

: near kindred

—used chiefly in the phrase one's own flesh and blood

3

: substance, reality

Examples of flesh and blood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That imbalance — one main character rendered flesh and blood while the other never comes to life — hinders the central narrative of the film. —Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026

Players want games made by human artists with code that’s crafted with flesh and blood, and that’s reflected in the best games of the year. —Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025

The question becomes, then, if the average person really needs a fake pet that apparently grows just attached to you as a flesh and blood companion. —Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025

How could my child, my flesh and blood, avert his gaze from them? —Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for flesh and blood

• waterflood
• bud
• crud
• dud
• flood
• mud
• rud
• scud
• spud
• stud
• thud
• lifeblood