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

The shooting inside the El Catracho sports bar in Hollis was the fourth bloody attack to take place at a city nightspot in a week. —Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026

The earliest depictions of slavery were already crawling with the terrible proceedings the Gothic tends to depict, from bloody whippings to family curses to the wrathful wraiths of the slain enslaved. —Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026

Verb

Each provides Invincible with a parade of creative conflicts to overcome, often leaving him beat and bloodied in the process. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

Miami got some good licks on Mendoza, bloodying his lip early on a shot from Jakobe Thomas that probably could have drawn a flag for targeting. —Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2026