bloodthirsty

IPA/ˈblʌdθɜːsti/
KK[blˈʌdθˌɚsti]IPA/ˈblʌdθɜːrsti/

bloodthirsty — adjective

  • bloodthirstypositive
  • more bloodthirstycomparative
  • most bloodthirstysuperlative

1. enjoying or wanting real or fictional violence and killing so much that it seems

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

enjoying or wanting real or fictional violence and killing so much that it seems cruel or disturbing to others.

Example

The film's bloodthirsty scenes made several audience members walk out of the theater.

attributive: bloodthirsty + noun (scenes)

Kwame refused to let his younger cousins play the bloodthirsty video game they saw advertised.

Common collocations
  • bloodthirsty tyrant
  • bloodthirsty ruler
  • bloodthirsty mob
  • bloodthirsty killer
  • bloodthirsty regime
  • bloodthirsty movie
  • bloodthirsty video game
  • bloodthirsty scenes
  • deeply bloodthirsty
  • too bloodthirsty
Synonyms
  • cruel

    broader; describes any willingness to cause pain, not necessarily involving bloodshed

  • brutal

    similar intensity; more about physical harshness than a desire to see blood

  • savage

    more informal and stronger; suggests uncontrolled, animal-like violence

  • murderous

    specifically focused on wanting to kill rather than just witness violence

Antonyms
  • peaceful

    opposite — enjoys calm, avoids conflict

  • gentle

    kind and mild, the opposite of violent tendencies

Grammar Patterns

bloodthirsty + noun (attributive)

be + bloodthirsty (predicative)

Usage Note

Commonly used as an attributive adjective (before a noun) to describe entertainment, historical figures, or aggressive groups. The predicative form (be + bloodthirsty) is less frequent but natural in informal conversation.

Common Mistakes

The movie was very bloodthirsty and violent.
The movie was bloodthirsty, with graphic scenes of violence.
'bloodthirsty' already implies violence; adding 'and violent' is redundant.

Word family

  • bloodthirst
    nounC1
  • bloodthirstily
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a readiness to harm others, but they differ in focus and intensity. 'Cruel' is the broadest — it covers emotional, verbal, or physical meanness ('a cruel remark'). 'Brutal' emphasises harsh, rough physical force without mercy ('a brutal attack'). 'Savage' is more informal and suggests uncontrolled, primitive violence ('a savage beating'). 'Vicious' implies a deliberate, spiteful intent to hurt ('a vicious gossip campaign'). 'Bloodthirsty' is narrower than all four: it specifically describes an eagerness to see bloodshed or killing, and it often applies to entertainment media ('a bloodthirsty horror film') where the other words would sound odd.

cruel ↗brutal ↗savage ↗vicious ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • bloodthirsty and cruel
  • nothing but bloodthirsty

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed in the 16th century by combining 'blood' (from Old English blōd) and 'thirsty' (from Old English thyrstig, meaning 'feeling thirst'). The compound was modelled on older words like 'bloody' and suggests a figurative 'thirst' or deep craving for blood and violence. It was originally applied to violent warriors or cruel rulers, and later extended to describe graphic entertainment.