BAD BLOOD Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

bad blood

noun

Definition of bad blood

as in hostility

a deep-seated ill will there's been bad blood between the two families for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bad blood Despite the lineup change, Ferrer said there was no bad blood. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 Her involvement in the legal battle is rumored to have sparked bad blood between the two women. — Michael Nied, InStyle, 4 July 2026 No amount of bad blood could stop them from seeing this love story play out. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026 There’s no bad blood, though, with both offering nothing but good words to say about each other and wishing each other luck moving forward. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bad blood

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bad blood

Noun

Iran doubled down on its demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, insisting that the US and its allies unfreeze its assets and end hostilities across the region.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
As the specter of rising interest rates and hostilities in the Middle East remain wildcards, skeptics are holding firm.

— Bloomberg, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of hostility

Noun

Christian, convinced a nobleman had done it, had the man executed without much proof, a grudge that helped cost him his crown a few years later.

— Winston Ross, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Lynn Rogers, who served as Kelly’s first lieutenant governor and was later appointed state treasurer, said Lawrence is somebody who holds onto grudges.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026

Definition of grudge

Noun

The is mostly a political one that the far-right uses to stoke prejudice and hatred against a community already victimized by that and bullying.

— Greg Cote August 9, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
Nordic noir suggests the presence of violence and hatred beneath the tranquillity and order of the Scandinavian welfare state, just as Southern noir peels back hospitality and charm to reveal repressed family secrets and moral decay.

— Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of hatred

Noun

Little united the Syrian rebels during the country’s civil war from 2011 to 2024 outside of their hatred of Assad, and Damascus has sought to cultivate this memory of bitterness to keep the country’s disparate groups together.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026
The tea supplies tannins and bitterness while maple and orange recreate that familiar balance of sweet, bitter and citrus.

— Ryan Brennan August 9, Kansas City Star, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of bitterness

Browse Nearby Words

bad

bad blood

baddie

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bad blood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bad%20blood. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bad blood

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

circumscribe

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes