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bloodlust

American  
[bluhd-luhst] / ˈblʌdˌlʌst /
Or blood lust

noun

  1. eagerness to engage in violence or bloodshed.

    During the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, the bloodlust of the mob raged unabated till it achieved a complete upheaval of French society.


Etymology

Origin of bloodlust

First recorded in 1845–50; blood ( def. ) + lust ( def. )

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:

The bloodlust around the high-profile tit-for-tat obscured the fact that commercial hip-hop had become stagnant.

From The Wall Street Journal May 13, 2026

That, plus an absence of “winning is everything” bloodlust, makes him easy to root for.

From Salon Nov. 4, 2025

“I won't work with anyone that has a bloodlust for these things,” he says.

From National Geographic Dec. 11, 2023

Musk might have the same monopolistic bloodlust as Zuckerberg or anyone else, but he bought the wrong toy.

From Slate Jul. 23, 2023

I am swollen with excitement, bloodlust and joy and a strange fear that mingle in my chest like the twisting rage of a bone-fire.

From "Grendel" by John Gardner

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