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

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
Ballast water the likely vector Researchers believe the bloody red shrimp first arrived in the Great Lakes from ballast water released from freighter ships that also travel the oceans. Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 3 July 2026 The once-green grass where a temporary arena held a bloody UFC fight last month has turned brown. Matt Viser, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Verb
Cellphone video showed officers handcuffing and pressing him against an unmarked sedan, with his forehead bloodied. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 16 May 2026 The play was widely denounced after Greig bloodied a defenseless Walker with an uppercut to the face while Walker was held in a headlock by another Senators player. James Mirtle, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bloody
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bloody
Adjective
  • Van Hecke jogged to the sideline after his blond hair had turned red from the blood.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
  • Green means habitable, yellow means moderately damaged, and red signifies that the building is unsafe.
    Max Saltman, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • Communist organizers, as Harrington feared, began to reshape the DSA as an ally of any anti-Western force, even the most murderous and oppressive.
    Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026
  • Armand looks dissociative and murderous.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Some of these storms could be severe and deliver damaging wind gusts, but any thunderstorm will contain lightning — a major danger for any outdoor activities, especially for anyone trying to escape the heat in or on the water.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Diseases that damage the kidneys and impair their ability to filter blood were blamed for 55,081 deaths in 2024.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Adjective
  • The reddish glow of the auroras can even be seen against the outside of the space station in this photograph.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 26 June 2026
  • Chinese fringe flower blooms white, pink, creamy white, or reddish-purple.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • And Addy, perhaps the most brutal American Girl story, is enslaved.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • In January, the government suppressed huge nationwide protests in a brutal crackdown that left thousands dead.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • The World Cup group stage was marred for fans whose experiences mirrored Ramroop’s, leading FIFA and third-party platforms like StubHub to point fingers at each other amid the fallout.
    Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
  • His previous loan at Girona was marred by injuries, impacting his World Cup aspirations.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • That said, Kimble was asked to scale back one scene with the creature — an attack on a solider in episode two that turned out so gory, Hawley deemed it too much for even FX.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2026
  • The killing of an East Village man and brutal stabbing of two others in a gory 2024 street fight resulted in an 18-year prison term for the knifeman at his Manhattan Supreme Court sentencing Tuesday.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 26 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Yellow Death has disfigured the population, and soldiers in white-and-red tunics serve the savage Duke of Tviot.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Josefowicz, in her decathlon of a performance, brought Ligeti’s savage discontinuities to the surface.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bloody.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bloody. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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