bloodshot

American

[bluhd-shot] / ˈblʌdˌʃɒt /

adjective

(of the eyes) red because of dilated blood vessels.

bloodshot British

/ ˈblʌdˌʃɒt /

adjective

(of an eye) inflamed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bloodshot

1545–55; apocopated variant of blood-shotten. See blood, shotten

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

bloodshot

"So we came out in the night hours, we went to the bush. There's a mountain up there, we slept there," said the 31-year-old, his eyes bloodshot.

From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026

Locals loved the story about the one-eyed New York man who had a special bloodshot glass eyeball made, so that when he came to L.A. on business, his fake eye matched his real one.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026

Tears fall from Mr Dennis' bloodshot eyes as mourners sing a farewell hymn at his son’s burial.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2024

When he briefly opened his eyes, they were bloodshot, the deputy wrote.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2024

Then I watched as he looked up at me with his little squinty, bloodshot eyes.

From "145th Street: Short Stories" by Walter Dean Myers

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023