BLOOD-AND-GUTS Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

blood-and-guts

adjective

ˈblə-dᵊn-ˈgəts

Definition of blood-and-guts

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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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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blood-and-guts

Adjective

Mayweather’s charges stemmed from a violent encounter between her and Lapattra Jacobs, the mother of one of YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s children.

— Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 16 Sep. 2026
The recent deaths have highlighted high rates of femicide and violent crime in the country and sparked an outcry over the safety of women.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of violent

Adjective

The relationship between Xi and Zhang went back decades, extending not just to their childhoods but all the way back to their fathers, who were comrades in arms in China’s ferocious civil war.

— Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
The ferocious drummer Martin Chambers, with his knifey sideburns, completed the quartet.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of ferocious

Adjective

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owns BNSF, and the railroad is a fierce critic of Vena’s takeover bid for Norfolk Southern.

— John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
Aaron Donald, one of the fiercest pass rushers in NFL history, is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Rams in hopes of winning another Super Bowl title.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of fierce

Adjective

The oversight hearing underscored Patel’s turbulent tenure, from shouting matches with lawmakers and blended leisure travel to allegations of excessive drinking that spurred calls for his removal and a massive defamation suit.

— Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
The two lawsuits come after a turbulent week for Hoskins, a Republican who became a key player in a dizzying series of legal battles and court decisions over the state’s congressional map.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of turbulent

Adjective

His music covers the entire spectrum, and he's built a rabid following of millions of fans.

— David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Reports of rabies cases across Maryland Several encounters involving rabid animals have been reported in recent months.

— Renee Anderson, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of rabid

Browse Nearby Words

blood

blood-and-guts

bloodbath

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“Blood-and-guts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blood-and-guts. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of blood-and-guts

adjective

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