sanguinary

adjective

san·​gui·​nary ˈsaŋ-gwə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce sanguinary (audio)
1
: bloodthirsty, murderous
sanguinary hatred
2
: attended by bloodshed : bloody
this bitter and sanguinary warT. H. D. Mahoney
3
: consisting of blood
a sanguinary stream
sanguinarily adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for sanguinary

bloody, sanguinary, gory mean affected by or involving the shedding of blood.

bloody is applied especially to things that are actually covered with blood or are made up of blood.

bloody hands

sanguinary applies especially to something attended by, or someone inclined to, bloodshed.

the Civil War was America's most sanguinary conflict

gory suggests a profusion of blood and slaughter.

exceptionally gory, even for a horror movie

Examples of sanguinary in a Sentence

a movie so sanguinary that I covered my eyes during at least half of it
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Mass shootings scarcely register anymore, unless the death toll reaches a certain sanguinary level. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2024 Michael Modafferi Lawmakers and order Yonkers: How many more innocents will be murdered, mugged and mauled by sanguinary, recidivist thugs and mentally ill individuals, none of whom belong unfettered on the streets of New York City and state, before the left-wing Democrats restore law and order? Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2024 Though Capone cut a sanguinary trail broader and wider than the Windy City, the Chicago mobster landed behind bars only after being nailed for tax evasion — certainly the least of his crimes. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2024 An appeal to force was an admission of failure, and the pride of the new nation was the sense of overcoming the sanguinary reflexes of the old world. TIME, 31 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sanguinary 

Word History

Etymology

Latin sanguinarius, from sanguin-, sanguis blood

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sanguinary was circa 1623

Dictionary Entries Near sanguinary

Cite this Entry

“Sanguinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanguinary. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sanguinary

adjective
san·​gui·​nary ˈsaŋ-gwə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce sanguinary (audio)
1
: willing or eager to cause bloodshed : bloodthirsty
2
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