Synonyms of bloody

bloody 1 of 2

adjective

ˈblə-dē 

1

as in red

smeared or stained with blood

after the fight, her shirt was all bloody

Synonyms & Similar Words

• red
• reddish
• gory
• bloodstained
• crimson
• ruby
• carmine
• sanguinary
• sanguineous
• bloodred
• incarnadine
• sanguine

2

as in murderous

eager for or marked by the shedding of blood, extreme violence, or killing

a bloody battle

a bloody movie that is unsuitable for children

Synonyms & Similar Words

• murderous
• murdering
• brutal
• savage
• violent
• vicious
• ferocious
• sanguinary
• fierce
• bloodthirsty
• homicidal
• contentious
• cruel
• sanguine
• ruthless
• sanguineous
• bloody-minded
• barbaric
• aggressive
• hostile
• merciless
• sadistic
• barbarous
• hateful
• heartless
• inhumane
• antagonistic
• gory
• bloodstained
• belligerent
• gladiatorial
• pitiless
• combative
• bellicose
• grim
• malicious
• pugnacious
• truculent
• quarrelsome
• discordant
• malignant
• scrappy
• assertive
• spiteful
• wanton
• nasty
• malevolent
• cold-blooded
• fell
• malign
• mean
• despiteful

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• peaceful
• peaceable
• conciliatory
• pacific
• kind
• sympathetic
• propitiatory
• benign
• warm
• disarming
• humane
• compassionate
• unaggressive
• dovish
• placatory
• unassertive
• placative
• benignant
• appeasing
• merciful
• tender
• mollifying
• lenient
• gentle
• kindhearted
• pacifying
• placating
• tenderhearted
• peacemaking
• amiable
• benevolent
• warmhearted
• clement
• kindly
• amicable
• good-hearted
• affable
• submissive
• yielding
• surrendering

bloody

2 of 2

verb

as in to damage

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of

the politician's reputation was permanently bloodied by the rumors of corruption

Synonyms & Similar Words

• damage
• mar
• injure
• hurt
• cripple
• compromise
• spoil
• break
• weaken
• harm
• impair
• cross (up)
• disfigure
• flaw
• erode
• destroy
• ruin
• blemish
• wound
• crab
• deface
• undermine
• vitiate
• deteriorate
• shatter
• endamage
• wreck
• wash out
• wear (away)
• batter
• torture
• smash
• scour
• desolate
• blight
• tarnish
• lame
• botch
• demolish
• enervate
• queer
• dent
• enfeeble
• torment
• tear down
• waste
• ding
• gum (up)
• wipe out
• mutilate
• crush
• lacerate
• devastate
• scourge
• total
• maim
• mangle
• dint
• disable
• annihilate
• decimate
• clobber
• hamstring
• bash
• pulverize
• dash
• raze
• bang up
• do in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• patch
• repair
• reconstruct
• fix
• rebuild
• help
• mend
• revamp
• cure
• remedy
• heal
• renovate
• rectify
• rehabilitate
• perfect
• doctor
• better
• revise
• recondition
• improve
• edit
• remodel
• enhance
• refine
• ameliorate
• enrich
• meliorate

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective bloody contrast with its synonyms?

The words gory and sanguinary are common synonyms of bloody. While all three words 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

Where would gory be a reasonable alternative to bloody?

In some situations, the words gory and bloody are roughly equivalent. However, gory suggests a profusion of blood and slaughter.

exceptionally gory, even for a horror movie

When could sanguinary be used to replace bloody?

The meanings of sanguinary and bloody largely overlap; however, sanguinary applies especially to something attended by, or someone inclined to, bloodshed.

the Civil War was America's most sanguinary conflict

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bloody

Adjective

For example, at Chester’s Roman Amphitheatre, centurion Marcus Aurelius Nepos tells about England’s bloody combat history at the spot. —Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian, 30 June 2017

Collapsing the roof isn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing, either—our experience involved about three minutes, two swearing fits, and at least one bloody knuckle. —Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 30 June 2017

Verb

Iran quickly retaliated, setting off six days of exchanges that has left Iran and Israel bloodied. —Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025

Trump’s ear was bloodied last year by a would-be assassin’s bullet in Pennsylvania. —Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 16 June 2025