Word
bloodthirsty
Phoneticsblood·thirsty
US/ˈbɫədˌθɝsti/
UK/blˈʌdθɜːsti/
Definition
adj. wanting to see or do violence and bloodshed. You use this to describe someone who enjoys watching or causing fights and injuries.
adj. characterised by a desire for or enjoyment of violence and bloodshed. Often used to describe a person's temperament or a specific event's atmosphere.
Examples
“The crowd was bloodthirsty and cheered loudly for the fight.”
“The movie's graphic violence was criticized as bloodthirsty and unnecessary for the plot.”
“The general's reputation as a bloodthirsty leader preceded him, as his previous campaigns were marked by a brutal disregard for civilian safety.”
Examples
simple
“The crowd was bloodthirsty and cheered loudly for the fight.”
contextual
“The movie's graphic violence was criticized as bloodthirsty and unnecessary for the plot.”
complex
“The general's reputation as a bloodthirsty leader preceded him, as his previous campaigns were marked by a brutal disregard for civilian safety.”
Real-World Examples
“In “ Dracula’s Daughter ” (1936), the title character has a bloodthirsty obsession with female characters.” “To “rile up American men,” as Baer puts it in an interview, they were characterized as heartless, bloodthirsty monsters.” Etymology
From blood + thirsty. Cognate with West Frisian bloeddorstich (“bloodthirsty”), Dutch bloeddorstig (“bloodthirsty”), German blutdürstig (“bloodthirsty”), Danish blodtørstig (“bloodthirsty”), Swedish blodtörstig (“bloodthristy”), Norwegian blodtørstig (“bloodthirsty”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/bloodthirsty