sanguineous

adjective

san-ˈgwi-nē-əs How to pronounce sanguineous (audio)
Definition of sanguineousnext
as in murderous
eager for or marked by the shedding of blood, extreme violence, or killing in the sanguineous culture of ancient Sparta, military glory was prized above all else

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 sanguineous The viral TikTok dance sensation inspired by Wednesday star Jenny Ortega’s quirky moves that is set to the sanguineous 2011 Lady Gaga song has blown up so big that even Mother Monster couldn’t resist throwing her black veil into the ring. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanguineous
  1. murderous
  2. bloody
  3. savage
  4. sanguinary
  5. violent
  6. ferocious
  7. brutal
Adjective
  • The Sparrows’ survival under Nazi questioning depended on the Hungarians handing them over to law-respecting German military officers, rather than the murderous Gestapo.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Fear of the wilderness and its potentially lethal native creatures is hardwired into the human brain and fueled tales of haunted forests and murderous animals throughout history.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of murderous
Adjective
  • Symptoms included diarrhea that could be bloody or watery and stomach cramps that could be severe, the agency said.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The beverage menu is made with slight tweaks to take away day drinks, like coffee and the bloody Mary, and add dinner libations, like a negroni and wine by the bottle (in rose, white or sparklin’).
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of bloody
Adjective
  • The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index weathered a savage 30% drawdown, has been choppily trendless for two months, then in recent days finally broke above its downtrend and surmounted the 50-day moving average.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Hamilton lets down Claire’s savage hauteur; Mays’ eyes glisten with all the regrets of lost love.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of savage
Adjective
  • Or some other colorful character in some other sanguinary chamber with some other lethal weapon?
    — John Beifuss, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 16 Mar. 2026
  • In a series of sanguinary close-ups, Elvira takes a cleaver to her digits, first slicing them and then fully dismembering them.
    — Andrew McGowan, Variety, 23 Dec. 2025
Definition of sanguinary
Adjective
  • In recent years, right-wing figures and media outlets have advanced the narrative that transgender people and those who support them are violent or dangerous to society.
    — Lisa Hagen, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, the Boeing 737 Max 8 plunged thousands of feet after a violent confrontation erupted inside its cockpit.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of violent
Adjective
  • Pursuing Leamas and Doris are Josef Fiedler and Hans-Dieter Mundt, two Stasi operatives whose ferocious desire to shut down the intelligence leak is matched only by their internal rivalry and an iron will to outmatch each other.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Pursuing Leamas and Doris are Josef Fiedler (Brühl) and Hans-Dieter Mundt (Kammerer), two Stasi operatives whose ferocious desire to shut down the intelligence leak is matched only by their internal rivalry and an iron will to outmatch each other.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of ferocious
Adjective
  • Thirty-two years after Brown Simpson's brutal killing, her sister continues to alert people to the dangers of intimate partner violence.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The Trojans face Washington at the Coliseum before a brutal stretch that includes Penn State, Indiana and Ohio State, with their playoff hopes at stake.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of brutal

Browse Nearby Words

sanguineness
sanguineous
sanguinity
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Cite this Entry

“Sanguineous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanguineous. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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