Meaning & use
bloodshed
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Meaning
noununcountable
The killing or wounding of people, especially in war or violent conflict.
Grammar: Uncountable and used in the singular; it does not take 'a' or a plural form.
Patterns
- avoid bloodshed
- prevent bloodshed
- cause bloodshed
- end bloodshed
The peace talks aimed to end the bloodshed in the region.
Both sides called for an immediate ceasefire to avoid further bloodshed.
The revolution was achieved with surprisingly little bloodshed.
Common combinations
- needless bloodshed
- The general was accused of causing needless bloodshed.
- further bloodshed
- The president vowed to prevent further bloodshed.
- a wave of bloodshed
- A wave of bloodshed swept across the country after the coup.
- stop the bloodshed
- International pressure finally helped stop the bloodshed.
Synonyms and how they differ
- carnage
- More literary and often suggests a particularly gruesome scene of slaughter.
- slaughter
- Can refer to killing animals for food as well as people, so it is less specific to human conflict.
- massacre
- A single, especially cruel event of killing, whereas bloodshed can be ongoing.
Opposites
Word family
- bloodshed noun
- The main form; no common derived words.
Commonly confused: bloodshed or bloodlust?
bloodshed vs bloodlust
Bloodlust is the desire for violence; bloodshed is the actual violence and killing.
Practice
The United Nations urged both sides to stop the ______ and return to negotiations.
Choose one answer.
'Bloodshed' refers to the actual killing and wounding, which fits stopping violence. 'Bloodlust' is the desire for violence, not the violence itself, so it would not be stopped in the same way. 'Bloodshot' describes eyes, and 'bloodstream' is the body's circulation system.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bloodshed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.