bloodletting

noun

blood·​let·​ting ˈbləd-ˌle-tiŋ How to pronounce bloodletting (audio)
Synonyms of bloodlettingnext
1
: phlebotomy
2
: bloodshed
3
: elimination of personnel or resources
4
: severe criticism
Take the English, the undisputed champions at verbal bloodletting.—Bill Ott
: a harsh verbal or written attack
But what makes "Cinderella & Company" more than just a book-length bloodletting is Hoelterhoff's unexpected sympathy for most of the singers about whom she writes.—Terry Teachout

Examples of bloodletting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Kyle Dubas, the Penguins’ president of hockey operations, might not be planning the same kind of bloodletting. —Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024 But that doesn’t mean the bloodletting is over, at least at Sony. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024 The trailer goes hard and heavy on the bloodletting, along with some cameos from other DC characters like Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller. —Eric Francisco, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2024 New York Mayor Eric Adams lost his last close City Hall ally Friday as the pressure of a federal bribery indictment and multiple investigations forced an administrative bloodletting at the top of America’s biggest city. —Dan Morrison, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bloodletting 

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bloodletting was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bloodletting

bloodless surgery

bloodletting

blood libel

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Bloodletting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloodletting. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

bloodletting

noun
blood·​let·​ting ˈbləd-ˌlet-iŋ How to pronounce bloodletting (audio)
1
: the opening of a vein for the purpose of drawing blood
2
: bloodshed sense 2

Medical Definition

bloodletting

noun
blood·​let·​ting -ˌlet-iŋ How to pronounce bloodletting (audio)
: phlebotomy

More from Merriam-Webster on bloodletting

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bloodletting

Britannica English: Translation of bloodletting for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bloodletting

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