flesh and blood

noun

1
a
: corporeal nature as composed of flesh and of blood
"This must be the devil, and no man of flesh and blood," whispered the yeoman …—Sir Walter Scott
b
: a human being
more than flesh and blood can bear
2
: near kindred
—used chiefly in the phrase one's own flesh and blood
3
: substance, reality

Examples of flesh and blood 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.
Ariana Grande, the pop star and actor, is also a person, of flesh and blood, but unknowable beyond that bare fact from the vantage of a stranger, no matter the ubiquity of her image. — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2026 Humans, on the other hand, are almost like an invasive species, with air filters lining the floors changing out all of the factory’s air in just a single minute to make sure those bags of flesh and blood don’t release too many contaminating particles. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 10 June 2026 And suddenly, your body is no longer made of flesh and blood. — Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2026 That imbalance — one main character rendered flesh and blood while the other never comes to life — hinders the central narrative of the film. — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flesh and blood

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of flesh and blood was before the 12th century

Rhymes for flesh and blood

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Browse Nearby Words

flesh
flesh and blood
fleshburn
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Flesh and blood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flesh%20and%20blood. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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