draw blood
idiom
1
: to take blood from a person's body for medical reasons
We need to draw some blood to test you for the virus.
2
: to cause blood to flow from a person's body
The punch to the nose drew blood.
—sometimes used figuratively to suggest intensity or aggressivenessSome politicians view debates as chances to draw blood from their opponents.
Examples of draw blood in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
How pulse oximeters work The gold standard and most accurate way of testing whether a person has normal oxygen levels is to stick a needle into a person’s wrist and draw blood.
—
Erika Edwards, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2025
This means cops couldn’t immediately draw blood to test for alcohol and drug use.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2025
During the meeting, Mills was told that nurses with the Travis County sheriff’s office would not be made available to draw blood.
—Skye Seipp, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Apr. 2024
Next, a team of veterinarians, vet techs and aquarists worked together to draw blood from Myrtle, check her flippers for range of motion and make sure her eyes, mouth and nose were in working order.
—Rodrique Ngowi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for draw blood 
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.
Erika Edwards, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2025
This means cops couldn’t immediately draw blood to test for alcohol and drug use.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2025
During the meeting, Mills was told that nurses with the Travis County sheriff’s office would not be made available to draw blood.
—Skye Seipp, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Apr. 2024
Next, a team of veterinarians, vet techs and aquarists worked together to draw blood from Myrtle, check her flippers for range of motion and make sure her eyes, mouth and nose were in working order.
—Rodrique Ngowi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for draw blood
Dictionary Entries Near draw blood
Cite this Entry
“Draw blood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/draw%20blood. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share