gory

adjective

ˈgȯr-ē 

gorier; goriest

1

: covered with gore : bloodstained

2

: bloodcurdling, sensational

wanted to hear the gory details

Synonyms

• 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

What unfolds is a gory nightmare revisiting past traumas. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025

Satanic Rites approaches the genre in an inspired way that more films should — as a gory political thriller with vampires. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025

This is a gory movie that doesn’t make for easy viewing, so maybe watch on an empty stomach. —Samantha Allen, Them., 7 Oct. 2025

Some genres may be extremely violent and gory, so parents may want to consider supervising their children's viewing of films or avoid them altogether. —PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2025

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