bloodsucking

[ bluhd-suhk-ing ]

adjective

1. being or relating to an animal or mythical being that feeds on blood:

   Bloodsucking insects are common in this part of the world.

   In the film, bloodsucking aliens descend on a small town.

2. being or relating to a person or organization who preys on, exploits, or takes advantage of others:

   He denounced his rival politicians as bloodsucking fraudsters living large on their constituents' money.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bloodsucking¹

First recorded in 1545–55; blood ( def ) + suck ( def ) + -ing ²( def )

Example Sentences

A bloodsucking skill because, if done right, it means, in a business sense, never growing old.

From The Daily Beast

It does push him toward drawing a caricature of his own, one of slathering, bloodsucking right-wingers.

From The Daily Beast

I have to pay a guinea to a bloodsucking composer when I want a song.

From Project Gutenberg

If he had drowned thee, thou wouldst not have lived to bite my poor girl, like a bloodsucking vampire.

From Project Gutenberg

The really bloodsucking Bats of this family belong to the genera Desmodus and Diphylla.

From Project Gutenberg

Again, there are four things which like the bloodsucking horse-leech are always insatiable.

From Project Gutenberg

This should not appear strange when it is considered that some animals harbor several thousand of the bloodsucking parasites.

From Project Gutenberg