Definition of sanguinarynext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sanguinary contrast with its synonyms?

The words bloody and gory are common synonyms of sanguinary. While all three words mean "affected by or involving the shedding of blood," sanguinary applies especially to something attended by, or someone inclined to, bloodshed.

the Civil War was America's most sanguinary conflict

When is bloody a more appropriate choice than sanguinary?

The synonyms bloody and sanguinary are sometimes interchangeable, but bloody is applied especially to things that are actually covered with blood or are made up of blood.

bloody hands

When is it sensible to use gory instead of sanguinary?

The words gory and sanguinary can be used in similar contexts, but gory suggests a profusion of blood and slaughter.

exceptionally gory, even for a horror movie

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 sanguinary Mass shootings scarcely register anymore, unless the death toll reaches a certain sanguinary level. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2024 Michael Modafferi Lawmakers and order Yonkers: How many more innocents will be murdered, mugged and mauled by sanguinary, recidivist thugs and mentally ill individuals, none of whom belong unfettered on the streets of New York City and state, before the left-wing Democrats restore law and order? Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2024 An appeal to force was an admission of failure, and the pride of the new nation was the sense of overcoming the sanguinary reflexes of the old world. TIME, 31 Jan. 2024 That battle would send Bonaparte on a dizzying journey up — and down and up and down — the greasy pole of French politics and military promotions, and it’s staged by Scott with sanguinary detail: Blood will spurt, spray and splatter throughout the battles that made him and undid him. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023 See All Example Sentences for sanguinary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanguinary
Adjective
  • Paula is on a path by the end of the second episode where there is a murderous person following her who has some abstract clues.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 May 2026
  • At the opening of his trial, prosecution lawyer Rashid Rashid described Kabuga as an enthusiastic supporter of the Tutsi slaughter who armed, trained and encouraged murderous Hutu militias known as Interahamwe.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • The defense also used the recordings to suggest that Fuhrman may have planted the bloody glove to frame Simpson.
    Bonny Chu , Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
  • Founding Fathers will go from the stirrings of revolution to the long and bloody fight for independence, and on into the early years of the American republic.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • Take George Mullins — 18 years old at the battle of Carentan, one of the most savage engagements of the war, where his company lost 43 of its 45 men in three days of fighting.
    Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
  • The perpetrators of these crimes are savage animals without a shred of humanity.
    Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • The creature-feature horror film plunges into the jungles of the Dominican Republic, where a group of road workers battling brutal conditions encounter the Ciguapa — a terrifying figure from local folklore with backward feet and the power to possess men through her gaze.
    Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 15 May 2026
  • Anyone familiar with the show knows what comes next probably won't be pretty, but even diehard fans will be shocked by how brutal Scattered Hopes can be.
    Ian Stokes, Space.com, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • When Ahmed suggested that this was a bad idea, since Denise was the one who had been violent, Denise began cursing at him.
    Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • Some people argue that enforcement becomes necessary when encampments grow large or long-term, especially when safety concerns, sanitation issues, or violent incidents arise.
    Shianne LeClaire, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sanguinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanguinary. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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