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Synonyms

gladiatorial

American  
[glad-ee-uh-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-] / ˌglæd i əˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr- /

adjective

  1. of or relating to gladiators or to their combats.

gladiatorial British  
/ ˌɡlædɪəˈtɔːrɪəl /

adjective

  1. of, characteristic of, or relating to gladiators, combat, etc

"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

Etymology

Origin of gladiatorial

1745–55; < Latin gladiātōri ( us ) ( see gladiator, -tory 1) + -al 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.

Betfred's Fred Done called the race result a "gladiatorial bloodbath for bookies" with the heavily-backed favourite winning.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

The origins of gladiatorial combat are unknown, though it was generally agreed by the Romans that it had been a foreign import.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The gladiatorial stadium stands between England and parity in the Ashes series.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2025

Hence the satisfaction of witnessing Lorraine’s steady shift from Mommy Dearest to vindictive she-dragon protecting what’s hers, including the two women she views as equals in gladiatorial terms if not financially.

From Salon • Jan. 9, 2024

Demons were perched all around me on derelict equipment and abandoned train cars like the audience of a gladiatorial match.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

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.