sanguinary
adjective
san·gui·nary ˈsaŋ-gwə-ˌner-ē 
1
: bloodthirsty, murderous
sanguinary hatred
2
: attended by bloodshed : bloody
this bitter and sanguinary war
T. H. D. Mahoney
T. H. D. Mahoney3
: consisting of blood
a sanguinary stream
sanguinarily
ˌsaŋ-gwə-ˈner-ə-lē
adverb 
Synonyms
- bloodthirsty
- bloody
- bloody-minded
- homicidal
- murdering
- murderous
- sanguine
- sanguineous
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a movie so sanguinary that I covered my eyes during at least half of it
Recent Examples on the Web To be categorically clear, there cannot be any moral equivalency between a monstrous and sanguinary apostle of death like Al-Zawahiri and the supreme champion of free speech, Salman Rushdie. Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Except, of course, there have been a great many more mass shootings, adding Atlanta; Orlando, Fla.; Las Vegas; El Paso; Pittsburgh; Boulder, Colo.; Parkland, Fla.; and many other cities, large and small, to the sanguinary toll. Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2022 Though set in the far future and rendered in gorgeous 2-D by Madhouse Studios, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust feels ancient, like an old, sanguinary myth made new. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2021 But for those hoping to slake their bloodlust a little sooner, there’s a whole world of sanguinary anime — with and without vampires — out there just waiting for viewers to sink their teeth into. John Maher, Vulture, 4 June 2021 The details of that latest outrage bore all the markings of the sanguinary and absurd cycle of racist police violence. Keeanga-yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 7 May 2021 The sanguinary stream in the tapestry may refer to the strife that drove Moufarrege’s family from both Alexandria and Beirut, as the papyrus and the tile pattern would suggest. New York Times, 19 May 2020 The red flag of the revolutionist in Lower California floats from the mast of the Mexican custom house in the Mexican town, the result of by far the most desperate and sanguinary battle yet fought on the Mexican peninsula. sandiegouniontribune.com, 9 May 2018 But even a cursory glance at the news that emanates from the Buddhist world reveals a more sanguinary state of affairs. Amar Diwakar, The New Republic, 23 Mar. 2018 See More
Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Except, of course, there have been a great many more mass shootings, adding Atlanta; Orlando, Fla.; Las Vegas; El Paso; Pittsburgh; Boulder, Colo.; Parkland, Fla.; and many other cities, large and small, to the sanguinary toll. Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2022 Though set in the far future and rendered in gorgeous 2-D by Madhouse Studios, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust feels ancient, like an old, sanguinary myth made new. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2021 But for those hoping to slake their bloodlust a little sooner, there’s a whole world of sanguinary anime — with and without vampires — out there just waiting for viewers to sink their teeth into. John Maher, Vulture, 4 June 2021 The details of that latest outrage bore all the markings of the sanguinary and absurd cycle of racist police violence. Keeanga-yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 7 May 2021 The sanguinary stream in the tapestry may refer to the strife that drove Moufarrege’s family from both Alexandria and Beirut, as the papyrus and the tile pattern would suggest. New York Times, 19 May 2020 The red flag of the revolutionist in Lower California floats from the mast of the Mexican custom house in the Mexican town, the result of by far the most desperate and sanguinary battle yet fought on the Mexican peninsula. sandiegouniontribune.com, 9 May 2018 But even a cursory glance at the news that emanates from the Buddhist world reveals a more sanguinary state of affairs. Amar Diwakar, The New Republic, 23 Mar. 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin sanguinarius, from sanguin-, sanguis blood
First Known Use
circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1
sanguinary
adjective
as in murderous
eager for or marked by the shedding of blood, extreme violence, or killing a movie so sanguinary that I covered my eyes during at least half of it Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- murderous
- murdering
- bloody
- savage
- brutal
- bloodthirsty
- violent
- sanguineous
- ferocious
- vicious
- fierce
- sanguine
- homicidal
- contentious
- cruel
- bloody-minded
- ruthless
- barbarous
- merciless
- barbaric
- sadistic
- hostile
- aggressive
- bellicose
- pitiless
- hateful
- pugnacious
- heartless
- antagonistic
- gladiatorial
- belligerent
- inhumane
- combative
- wanton
- gory
- malicious
- truculent
- quarrelsome
- malignant
- grim
- discordant
- bloodstained
- malevolent
- assertive
- cold-blooded
- spiteful
- scrappy
- malign
- fell
- nasty
- despiteful
- mean
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- peaceable
- conciliatory
- propitiatory
- peaceful
- pacific
- sympathetic
- disarming
- placatory
- humane
- kind
- benignant
- benign
- unaggressive
- compassionate
- mollifying
- merciful
- unassertive
- amiable
- dovish
- peacemaking
- placative
- warm
- pacifying
- appeasing
- benevolent
- lenient
- clement
- kindhearted
- placating
- tenderhearted
- warmhearted
- gentle
- affable
- tender
- amicable
- good-hearted
- submissive
- kindly
- surrendering
- yielding
Synonym Chooser
The words bloody and gory are common synonyms of sanguinary. While all three words mean "affected by or involving the shedding of blood," sanguinary applies especially to something attended by, or someone inclined to, bloodshed.
the Civil War was America's most sanguinary conflict
The synonyms bloody and sanguinary are sometimes interchangeable, but bloody is applied especially to things that are actually covered with blood or are made up of blood.
bloody hands
The words gory and sanguinary can be used in similar contexts, but gory suggests a profusion of blood and slaughter.
exceptionally gory, even for a horror movie
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