as in bloody
smeared or stained with blood doesn't watch too many movies that feature gory violence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective gory contrast with its synonyms?

The words bloody and sanguinary are common synonyms of gory. While all three words mean "affected by or involving the shedding of blood," gory suggests a profusion of blood and slaughter.

exceptionally gory, even for a horror movie

Where would bloody be a reasonable alternative to gory?

Although the words bloody and gory have much in common, bloody is applied especially to things that are actually covered with blood or are made up of blood.

bloody hands

When might sanguinary be a better fit than gory?

In some situations, the words sanguinary and gory are roughly equivalent. However, sanguinary applies especially to something attended by, or someone inclined to, bloodshed.

the Civil War was America's most sanguinary conflict

Examples of gory in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web Not too gory or too broad and enlivened by production-design details like the fluttering pages of the books the hand tossed off itself and the elasticity of Campbell’s shocked, irritated, and vengeful reactions, this Evil Dead II fight skitteringly blazed a trail. Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024 Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news The traditional accounts of Aztec sacrifice are almost too gory to be true. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2024 The Devil’s Bath, an Austrian horror film from Goodnight Mommy directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, which Playtime is selling worldwide, could be too gory for the Berlin jury, but the psychodrama about a woman driven to extremes in the 18th century rural Austria, won over Berlin audiences. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024 The best of the best in couture revealed their spring/summer 2024 creations in the City of Lights and on Thursday, Wun showcased possibly the goriest of them all. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gory 

Thesaurus Entries Near gory

Cite this Entry

“Gory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gory. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

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