1
as in red
smeared or stained with blood
after the fight, her shirt was all bloody
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Healthy persons who are infected often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 May 2026
Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
He was bloodied in the first half, literally giving blood and sweat to complete the goal.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bloody
Adjective
If the diarrhea gets bloody or lasts more than two days, see a doctor.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Healthy persons who are infected often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 May 2026
Verb
Fists flew on the 50-yard line as tempers heated up during the traditional post-game handshake, with some athletes exiting the field bloodied and bruised.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
He was bloodied in the first half, literally giving blood and sweat to complete the goal.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bloody
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bloody
Adjective
-
The lobby’s elevator doors opened and a woman with a giant white saucer on her head and a matching floor-length coat, embellished with red splotches that evoked stab wounds, slowly exited.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Our former swing state now has become a red state through and through thanks largely to the new congressional districts which are stretched to inane proportions.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
The franchise originally began with the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, created by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel and starring Gunnar Hansen as the murderous Leatherface.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
2 May 2026
-
His main antagonist is Jimmy (Harry Goodwins), a white supremacist who is the sheriff’s son and the leader of the murderous gang.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
In a sane world, Congress would put a stop to it and reassert its own power to regulate import duties; unfortunately, this particular GOP Congress seems content enough to be a lapdog watching Trump usurp them and damage the economy and our international standing.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
-
Conducting a soil test will eliminate the guesswork when choosing the right type and amount of fertilizer for your trees, as using too much fertilizer or the incorrect type can severely damage them.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Saturn will appear as a bright star-like object to the moon's lower right, while the reddish glow of Mars shines lower still to the left of the pair.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
12 May 2026
-
Flanked by sun-scarred, reddish rocks that look lifted from Arizona, Cars Land is a marvel of a theme park land, with its backdrop mountain range ever so slightly nodding to the fins of classic Cadillacs from 1957 to 1962.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The entire proceedings have been marred by tragedy since the exhibition’s artistic director, Koyo Kouoh, died suddenly of liver cancer in early 2025, leaving her staff to complete the last year of work.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
5 May 2026
-
The Australian Jewish Association welcomed the report’s release but said it was marred by failing to address the form of antisemitic extremism said to have motivated the Bondi Beach shooters.—
Philissa Cramer,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
The sequel ramps things up with an $80 million price tag and even more gory fight scenes.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
8 May 2026
-
The jury saw photos and video of the scene, including one gory top-down photo.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Caesar Lorenzo Wilson, 54, was sentenced to 224 years in prison for the 2024 murder of University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) professor Haleh Abghari, a killing prosecutors say began as a burglary and ended in a brutal stabbing inside her own home.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
No arrests have ever been made in the brutal killings of Russell and Shirley Dermond.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The impact ignited an engine fire, injuring a dozen passengers.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Even if Calafiori was not injured, Mosquera’s introduction and Rice’s return to midfield were necessary to start the second half.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bloody.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bloody. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
