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

His vengeance was sweet, gory and spectacularly over-the-top. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025

One of 2025’s goriest and most politically relevant reads, Black Flame follows Ellen, a Jewish film restorer whose sterile, closeted world begins to fall apart after she is possessed by an occult film created by victims of the Holocaust. —Ana Osorno, Them., 21 Nov. 2025

Some superfans will surely gripe that a movie in which a Predator is the hero and central protagonist represents a betrayal of what has always been a pretty dark, gory, and nihilistic action franchise. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025

The gory gag was a cheeky nod to Lloyd’s recent trend of ending his shows with his leading men nearly naked and slicked with stage blood. —Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 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