as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
a hockey team known for its blood-and-guts play
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 blood-and-guts
However, fighters in the UFC seem to get caught up in trying to appease the casuals who can only appreciate blood-and-guts wars.
—
Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Dawn of the Dead's flood of blood-and-guts is among the most memorable in film history, if only for the unnaturally vivid shades of red.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Still, these sections lack the blood-and-guts tension of her interactions with her mother.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
That realization elevates the film’s campy blood-and-guts from gore to gut-punch.
—Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo, WWD, 1 Dec. 2024
The striking contrast with everything heard earlier — not just the music but the blood-and-guts oratory — was bewildering, and in the midst of the temporary bewilderment, Melania emerged in her trim, bright-red skirt suit.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 19 July 2024
Her sharp depictions of blood-and-guts nursing brimmed with acerbic opinions on topics ranging from the unpopularity of the British consul in Volos to inaccurate reporting by journalists who lacked Greek language skills.
—Richard Byrne, The New Republic, 25 Aug. 2023
Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Dawn of the Dead's flood of blood-and-guts is among the most memorable in film history, if only for the unnaturally vivid shades of red.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Still, these sections lack the blood-and-guts tension of her interactions with her mother.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
That realization elevates the film’s campy blood-and-guts from gore to gut-punch.
—Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo, WWD, 1 Dec. 2024
The striking contrast with everything heard earlier — not just the music but the blood-and-guts oratory — was bewildering, and in the midst of the temporary bewilderment, Melania emerged in her trim, bright-red skirt suit.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 19 July 2024
Her sharp depictions of blood-and-guts nursing brimmed with acerbic opinions on topics ranging from the unpopularity of the British consul in Volos to inaccurate reporting by journalists who lacked Greek language skills.
—Richard Byrne, The New Republic, 25 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blood-and-guts
Adjective
-
The scenes echoed earlier playoff celebrations, including a massive watch-party gathering of roughly 7,000 people in Bryant Park during Game 2 that turned violent and destructive, according to a law enforcement official.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Maclean’s work traffics in deep fakes and glitch aesthetics, rainbow cuteness and the tropes of pulp—but these are set against violent dystopias and a world of cruelties borne, especially, by women (see her 2018 video Make Me Up as an example).—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
It’s embedded in the lore of the city — the breakout pass, the bounding leap, the midair double clutch, the ferocious snarl.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
The outcome caps one of California’s most ferocious congressional primaries, a contest that reflected the broader struggle between the Democratic Party’s moderate and progressive wings.—
Mathew Miranda
June 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Publishers must also navigate changing consumer behavior, rising shipping costs and a fierce attention economy.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
The thing everyone, from the NCAA’s fiercest critics to its most loyal defenders, understood had to remain nonnegotiable.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The roaring bassline slithers beneath a wavering flute note before the floor gives out, and the song begins its fast and furious descent.—
Kiana Mickles,
Pitchfork,
12 June 2026
-
Wildlife advocates are furious.—
Ted Williams,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The discovery is so surprising because even though AGNs are rich with gas and dust — the building blocks of planets — the turbulent conditions within the disks wouldn't generally be considered ideal for forming planets.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
-
The weekend’s severe weather follows a turbulent stretch earlier this week, when severe weather placed 13 million people under flood watches and triggered widespread power outages.—
Christine Rapp,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The encounter with the rabid coyote occurred in Huntersville, according to a news release.—
Laura Horne,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
-
There are very few hints in art of dogs being dirty, vicious or rabid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blood-and-guts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blood-and-guts. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
