bloody
Americanadjective
-
stained or covered with blood.
a bloody handkerchief.
- Synonyms:
- gory, sanguinary
-
bleeding.
a bloody nose.
- Synonyms:
- gory, sanguinary
-
characterized by bloodshed.
bloody battle; a bloody rule.
- Synonyms:
- gory, sanguinary
-
inclined to bloodshed; bloodthirsty.
a bloody dictator.
-
of, relating to, or resembling blood; containing or composed of blood.
bloody tissue.
-
Slang. (used as an intensifier).
a bloody shame; a bloody nuisance.
verb (used with object)
-
to stain or smear with blood.
-
to cause to bleed, as by a blow or accident.
to bloody someone's nose.
adverb
adjective
-
covered or stained with blood
-
resembling or composed of blood
-
marked by much killing and bloodshed
a bloody war
-
cruel or murderous
a bloody tyrant
-
of a deep red colour; blood-red
adverb
verb
Other Word Forms
- bloodily adverb
- bloodiness noun
- unbloodily adverb
- unbloodiness noun
- unbloody adjective
Etymology
Origin of bloody
before 1000; Middle English blody, Old English blōdig. See blood, -y 1
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.
Originally self-published last February, Shy Girl was described in its promotional material as a "buzzy BookTok sensation" and "a harrowing tale of survival and revenge" and well as being "bloody and unapologetic".
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
Lonely Island member Jorma Taccone, directing a feature for the first time since his work on 2016’s “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” threads the needle of relationship comedy and bloody slapstick action.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
Such a move would raise hackles in Turkey, which has fought a decades-long bloody conflict with the Kurdish militant group PKK, which it is now seeking to end.
From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026
The neighboring nations fought a bloody 1980s war, initiated by Hussein, with support from Washington.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026
Mrs. Miller says we lived in Dubai for a year and I can’t just tell the food, poop, and bloody parts, so I will tell you what life looked like for us.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
