1
as in murderous
eager for or marked by the shedding of blood, extreme violence, or killing
The outlaw was bloody-minded in pursuit of vengeance against the authorities.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irritable
chiefly British
having or showing a habitually bad temper
according to palace gossip, behind closed doors the prince was a bloody-minded bore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bloody-minded
Arsenal need to be bloody-minded and show a bit more courage and conviction than in recent meetings.
—
Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
But this was an emotional display of bloody-minded defiance.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 6 July 2025
Suffice to say that Marseille, the oldest city in France, also developed a bloody-minded streak that would have no doubt impressed Caesar himself in the coming centuries.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 June 2025
This exchange is emblematic of their close but often adversarial relationship: two similarly bloody-minded women who are always butting heads.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
How could a team in black and white be this unflinching, so bloody-minded and determined?
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
The International Olympic Committee has functioned as financier and enabler of autocrats with world-destructive designs as bloody-minded as any historical tyrant.
—Sally Jenkins, Washington Post, 27 July 2024
Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
But this was an emotional display of bloody-minded defiance.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 6 July 2025
Suffice to say that Marseille, the oldest city in France, also developed a bloody-minded streak that would have no doubt impressed Caesar himself in the coming centuries.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 June 2025
This exchange is emblematic of their close but often adversarial relationship: two similarly bloody-minded women who are always butting heads.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
How could a team in black and white be this unflinching, so bloody-minded and determined?
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
The International Olympic Committee has functioned as financier and enabler of autocrats with world-destructive designs as bloody-minded as any historical tyrant.
—Sally Jenkins, Washington Post, 27 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bloody-minded
Adjective
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This murderous regime also recently killed 45,000 of their own people who were protesting in Iran, 45,000 dead.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
An account of life in Berlin from 1939 to 1945 under a murderous regime.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
From the dramatic adolescent to the unpredictable PMS-ing woman to the irritable menopausal crone, unattractive stereotypes of women ruled by their hormones abound.—
Patricia Bencivenga,
STAT,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Caroly is immediately affected, glued to the TV; John, suddenly irritable, retreats.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The 72-year-old coach walked toward Staley in the final seconds of the game before the two had an angry exchange, with assistants having to get in between them.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
When you're stressed or angry, your cortisol levels rise, which can have adverse effects on your heart, metabolism, and immune system.—
Sharon Basaraba,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Buford, who died March 26 at 104 of old age, had a philosophy forged in part by his service in one of World War II’s most memorable and bloody campaigns, the Battle of the Bulge.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
During those five to seven days, stomachaches, bloody diarrhea and vomiting are common.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The baritone, Vincent Casagrande, a marvelously cantankerous Prisoner, tells us only sick people dream, and of course everyone on stage automatically enters a dream state.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
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The journey is hampered by lack of money and other misfortunes, and it’s eventually interrupted by a gunshot, announcing the cantankerous presence of Tiga.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But the timing of this meltdown was brutal.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
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Orlando City heads west after a two-week break, trying to snap out of a brutal early-season slump, but the Lions face a steep climb against a Los Angeles FC squad that hasn’t conceded a goal this year.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The rabbi is ornery, arrogant, sometimes cruel.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
For ornery toddlers, who want to do everything themselves, Rao suggests giving them their own toothbrush to use while parents brush their teeth with a second one right alongside them.—
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall,
Popular Science,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The famed African American journalist investigated lynchings across the South and wrote about the savage incidents that the white press had already explained away.—
Case Thorp,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
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The loss of books is minor, almost trivial, in light of all the horrors and violence unleashed by this senseless war, but the potential loss of these books is a sad reminder that we’re all affected and implicated in America’s savage flailings.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bloody-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bloody-minded. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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