gory

adjective

ˈgȯr-ē 

gorier; goriest

1

: covered with gore : bloodstained

2

: bloodcurdling, sensational

wanted to hear the gory details

Synonyms of gory

• bloody
• red

Choose the Right Synonym for gory

bloody, sanguinary, gory mean affected by or involving the shedding of blood.

bloody is applied especially to things that are actually covered with blood or are made up of blood.

bloody hands

sanguinary applies especially to something attended by, or someone inclined to, bloodshed.

the Civil War was America's most sanguinary conflict

gory suggests a profusion of blood and slaughter.

exceptionally gory, even for a horror movie

Examples of gory in a Sentence

doesn't watch too many movies that feature gory violence

Recent Examples on the Web

But then everyone here, in front of and behind the camera looks to be having a great time, which keeps the mood bouncy, however gory or splattery or thematically knotty the moment. —Jessica Kiang, Variety, 13 May 2026

Maika Monroe may have starred in multiple defining horror films of the last 10-plus years, from her breakout in It Follows to the recent box-office smash Longlegs, but no amount of scream-queen credits could prepare her for the gory terror of Victorian Psycho. —David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026

The jury saw photos and video of the scene, including one gory top-down photo. —John Annese, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026

The first third of director Ben Wheatley’s gory black comedy introduces us to Ulysses and takes us on his journey through a small town that harbors a link to Japan. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gory

• gory details
• in gory detail

Rhymes for gory

• corrie
• corry
• cory
• dory
• flory
• glory
• hoary
• horry
• kauri
• lori
• lorry
• lory

Kids Definition

gory

adjective

ˈgō(ə)r-ē 

ˈgȯ(ə)r-

gorier; goriest

1

: covered with gore : bloodstained

2

: bloodcurdling