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
  • Meantime, what Michigan has done lately - cruised on a murderous March march that humbled Arizona into submission into the national semifinal - does matter.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Many Iranians, both inside of Iran and in the international diaspora, adamantly support the efforts of the United States and Israel to defang the Iranian regime and topple its murderous leadership.
    Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Buford, who died March 26 at 104 of old age, had a philosophy forged in part by his service in one of World War II’s most memorable and bloody campaigns, the Battle of the Bulge.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026
  • During those five to seven days, stomachaches, bloody diarrhea and vomiting are common.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The famed African American journalist investigated lynchings across the South and wrote about the savage incidents that the white press had already explained away.
    Case Thorp, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The loss of books is minor, almost trivial, in light of all the horrors and violence unleashed by this senseless war, but the potential loss of these books is a sad reminder that we’re all affected and implicated in America’s savage flailings.
    James Folta, Literary Hub, 17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Rachel is doing her best to be supportive as Ian is desperate to learn if his ex-wife, Wahionaweh, and their son, Swiftest of Lizards, survived the brutal massacre of their village and so many others.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
  • On the thermal side, flat-wire coils and cooling fins reduce energy losses and help the motor hold its peak output longer on brutal climbs, rather than quietly throttling back when things get hot.
    Omar Kardoudi April 10, New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In 2023, a report from the Police Executive Research Forum, a national think tank on policing standards, called for police to put the brakes on car chases unless a violent crime has been committed and the suspect poses an imminent threat.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The enemy was large and violent.
    Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 5 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sanguinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanguinary. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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