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Synonyms

bloodthirsty

American  
[bluhd-thur-stee] / ˈblʌdˌθɜr sti /

adjective

  1. eager to shed blood; murderous.

    to capture a bloodthirsty criminal.
    Synonyms:
    pitiless, merciless, bloody, brutal, savage, homicidal

  2. enjoying or encouraging bloodshed or violence, especially as a spectator or clamorous partisan.

    the bloodthirsty urgings of the fight fans.
bloodthirsty British  
/ ˈblʌdˌθɜːstɪ /

adjective

  1. murderous; cruel

  2. taking pleasure in bloodshed or violence

  3. describing or depicting killing and violence; gruesome

    a bloodthirsty film
"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

Other Word Forms

  • bloodthirstily adverb
  • bloodthirstiness noun

Etymology

Origin of bloodthirsty

First recorded in 1525–35; blood + thirsty

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.

Children ages 5-8 will need to look elsewhere to read about bloodthirsty old favorites such as the T. rex.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025

Justifying why this pile of helplessness would be placed in competition with a group of bloodthirsty adult men might mean we’re focusing on the wrong thing.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2025

It left some viewers perplexed, as they questioned what a bloodthirsty plant had to do with Christmas.

From BBC • Nov. 13, 2024

A rare exception was 1960’s “Little Shop of Horrors,” which starred a bloodthirsty plant that feasted on humans and featured Nicholson in a small but memorable role as a pain-loving dental patient.

From Seattle Times • May 11, 2024

The fire smoked heavily and stung his eyes whenever it drifted his way, but at least it helped keep away the swarms of bloodthirsty mosquitoes.

From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.