bloodless

American  

[bluhd-lis] / ˈblʌd lɪs /

adjective

1. without blood.

   bloodless surgery.

2. very pale.

   a bloodless face.

3. free from bloodshed; accomplished without bloodshed.

   a bloodless victory; a bloodless coup.

4. spiritless; without vigor, zest, or energy.

   a dull, insipid, bloodless young man.

5. without emotion or feeling; cold-hearted.

   bloodless data.

---

bloodless British  

/ ˈblʌdlɪs /

adjective

1. without blood

2. conducted without violence (esp in the phrase bloodless revolution )

3. anaemic-looking; pale

4. lacking vitality; lifeless

5. lacking in emotion; cold; unfeeling

---

Other Word Forms

• bloodlessly adverb
• bloodlessness noun

Etymology

Origin of bloodless

1175–1225; Middle English blodles, Old English blōdlēas. See blood, -less

Example Sentences

But it does promote order by redirecting the ambitious few into what Mr. Mansfield calls “the bloodless killing of commerce” while reducing the material deprivation that encourages discontent among the many poor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Barre seized power in a bloodless coup in 1969.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

There isn’t a shiver of surprise about who gets the chomp, only disappointment that the fatalities are so bloodless — they’re mild even for PG-13.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2025

These patrons continue to misunderstand the corporeal appeal of someone like Joe Rogan, an allure that can’t be articulated within the bloodless context of a boardroom meeting.

From Slate • May 21, 2025

But the talks proved too abstract and bloodless, and far too disengaged from the social and political issues of the day.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• unemotional