as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
a hockey team known for its blood-and-guts play
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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 group above is wanted in connection with a violent robbery on board a CTA bus in Washington Park on April 9.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
-
More heavy elements, more violent eruptions.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Behind a ferocious defense and an offense that couldn’t miss, the Knicks led by 25 points after one quarter, by as many as 51 points in the first half, and by as many as 61 points after halftime.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap have always been ferocious rappers, two goliaths spitting bilingual bars over gritty electronica with the couplet-completing precision of Run the Jewels.—
Dean Van Nguyen,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This may explain why Suzanna’s mother is a somewhat indistinct presence in the novel (at least compared with fierce Sylvie)—patient, even serene behind bars, more eager to talk about her daughter’s future than about her own future, let alone her troubled past.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The Bloomberg-era street transformations weren’t popular at first, and pushback was fierce.—
Jonathan Timm,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Thomas Paine, released from prison and woven back into French society, wrote a long, furious letter to George Washington.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The Toronto Blue Jays erased a one-run deficit with a furious eighth inning against the Twins’ bullpen on Saturday, scoring eight earned runs before recording an out to rally for an 11-4 victory at Target Field.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
From the transformative power of novels to raising a Black son in a turbulent era, Ward offers a deeply moving testament to resilience, storytelling, and the enduring beauty of life.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
-
Much like the rest of what’s already been a turbulent season, Orlando has made this playoff series as difficult as possible.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
The same obviously applied to those season-ticket holders who showed a near-rabid support for their coach.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
All series, the Timberwolves have been rabid with their intensity and purpose on the floor.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blood-and-guts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blood-and-guts. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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