bloody 1 of 2

Definition of bloodynext

bloody

2 of 2

verb

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

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

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 bloody
Adjective
Salmonella in pets, as in humans, can lead to diarrhea, which can get bloody, vomiting, fever and stomachaches. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2026 The title fight was a brief and bloody affair that left the crowd buzzing. Luke Burbank, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 12 rebounds while playing with a bandage over his right eye after he was bloodied in a head-to-head collision in the first quarter. CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026 LaForte hit the man in the face with a bottle, bloodying his nose, and the Gambino duo flipped the table, sending drinks and broken glass flying, according to court filings. John Annese, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bloody
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bloody
Adjective
  • Risk factors at any age include obesity, lack of physical activity, a diet high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables, smoking, heavy alcohol use, having inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of colorectal cancer.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Rows and rows of these large, double-petaled flowers will be unfolding over the coming weeks in 13 shades from pink and red to yellow and orange.
    Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico, really large parts of Mexico, have been controlled by murderous drug cartels.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
  • For years, large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico, really large parts of Mexico, have been controlled by murderous drug cartels.
    TIME Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In Iran, multiple rounds of explosions were reported in Tehran, while patients were evacuated from a hospital in the north of the city on Sunday after it was badly damaged, according to Iranian state media.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
  • As a bonus, those seasons are ideal for planting a replacement shrub or re-establishing a lawn if it is damaged during the shrub removal.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Eric Zeman)<\/small>\n<\/div>\n

    The Pixel 10a comes in Berry (reddish), Fog (light green), Lavender, or Obisidan (black).

    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 22 Feb. 2026
  • The moon develops a reddish hue during the eclipse because of Earth's movement, according to NASA.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The victory, the joy, and the entrance to the elite doorway were all marred within hours.
    Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
  • But even her first edition was marred with political turmoil in Germany with the rise of the far right, as well as pressures for the Berlinale to pick a side in the Gaza-Israel conflict.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The horror film serves as a gory allegory for the evils that persisted in the South in the Jim Crow era in the late 19th century and onward.
    Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Distracting from the void at its core are the extremely gory kills, splashed with pixelized blood and guts that are indeed successful in making an audience squirm.
    Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Two boys, ages 12 and 13, were charged by a grand jury this week as adults in the brutal rape of a 12-year-old girl in the garden area of a Miami apartment complex over the summer.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and SZA have all condemned the use of their music in propaganda videos tied to the government’s brutal immigration crackdown.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Two more juvenile males have been arrested in connection with Sunday’s shooting at Maplewood Mall, making four total arrests in the shooting that injured a man.
    Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Oseguera was seriously injured in the shootout and died during air transfer to Mexico City.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bloody.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bloody. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.

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