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blood sport

American

noun

any sport involving killing or the shedding of blood, as bullfighting, cockfighting, or hunting.

blood sport British

noun

any sport involving the killing of an animal, esp hunting

"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 blood sport

First recorded in 1890–95

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.

I understand why people wouldn’t want to watch a blood sport.

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026

Pro hunting supporters have warned that a new Stormont bill to ban the blood sport will leave thousands of dog owners across Northern Ireland at risk of prosecution.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

I, and many other young fans, had little interest in boxing, Mike Tyson or, really, any sort of blood sport.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Backstory: Steven Spielberg’s World War II epic “Saving Private Ryan” was considered the favorite, but Miramax co-founder Harvey Weinstein, known for turning awards campaigns into a blood sport, had other plans.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025

I guess cross-country is also a blood sport.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

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