sanguineous

adjective

san-ˈgwi-nē-əs How to pronounce sanguineous (audio)
Definition of sanguineousnext
as in murderous
eager for or marked by the shedding of blood, extreme violence, or killing in the sanguineous culture of ancient Sparta, military glory was prized above all else

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sanguineous The viral TikTok dance sensation inspired by Wednesday star Jenny Ortega’s quirky moves that is set to the sanguineous 2011 Lady Gaga song has blown up so big that even Mother Monster couldn’t resist throwing her black veil into the ring. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanguineous
  1. murderous
  2. bloody
  3. savage
  4. sanguinary
  5. violent
  6. ferocious
  7. brutal
Adjective
  • Communist organizers, as Harrington feared, began to reshape the DSA as an ally of any anti-Western force, even the most murderous and oppressive.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026
  • Armand looks dissociative and murderous.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of murderous
Adjective
  • Season 3 of the series returned with a bloody episode and a skyrocketing death toll, which continues to rise, as the rival Targaryen factions clashed in the shock-and-awe-inspiring Battle of the Gullet.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • The cannons would've sunk just weeks before the Battle of Savannah, known as one of the bloodiest battles of the Revolutionary War, with over 800 casualties in under an hour.
    — Amy Galo, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of bloody
Adjective
  • The Yellow Death has disfigured the population, and soldiers in white-and-red tunics serve the savage Duke of Tviot.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Josefowicz, in her decathlon of a performance, brought Ligeti’s savage discontinuities to the surface.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of savage
Adjective
  • Or some other colorful character in some other sanguinary chamber with some other lethal weapon?
    — John Beifuss, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 16 Mar. 2026
  • In a series of sanguinary close-ups, Elvira takes a cleaver to her digits, first slicing them and then fully dismembering them.
    — Andrew McGowan, Variety, 23 Dec. 2025
Definition of sanguinary
Adjective
  • Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • English soccer fans have earned a reputation for violent hooliganism, hurling plastic chairs and brawling their way across the piazzas and boulevards of Europe.
    — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of violent
Adjective
  • Known for his command of ferocious demon-quelling deities, Zhenwu remains a popular deity in Daoist exorcist rituals in places such as Taiwan.
    — Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
  • That’s because a parasite called Cyclospora, which can contaminate raw produce and causes ferocious and long-lasting bouts of diarrheal illness, is making people sick across several states.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of ferocious
Adjective
  • And Addy, perhaps the most brutal American Girl story, is enslaved.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • In January, the government suppressed huge nationwide protests in a brutal crackdown that left thousands dead.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of brutal

Browse Nearby Words

sanguineness
sanguineous
sanguinity
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Cite this Entry

“Sanguineous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanguineous. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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