bloodsucking
Feeding on blood
Bloodsucking describes creatures that feed on blood—mosquitoes, leeches, vampire bats.
The word extends to people who drain others of money or vitality: bloodsucking lawyers, bloodsucking landlords.
The metaphor suggests parasitic exploitation, taking without giving anything back.
Blood-feeding aquatic worm
- tickParasitic eight-legged pest
- mosquitoBlood-feeding flying pest
- bedbugBlood-sucking mattress dweller
- fleaBlood-drinking jumping pest
louse · mite · lamprey · chigger · horsefly · tsetse · sandfly · blackfly
One exploiting a host
- predatoryExploiting the vulnerable
- extortionObtaining through threats
- profiteeringExploiting scarcity for gain
- usuryExtortionate money lending
swindler · moocher · freeloader · opportunist · leech · vulture · shark · greedy
Sharp piercing teeth
- undeadDeceased yet animate
- coffinBurial container for remains
- batFlying mammal or sports club
- stakeSharpened post or share
garlic · immortal · nightwalker · crypt · gothic · horror · pale · sunlight
Mosquito-borne parasitic infection
- dengueMosquito-borne viral disease
- typhusLouse-transmitted bacterial infection
- plagueDeadly epidemic disease
- leishmaniasisSandfly-transmitted parasitic disease
transmission · vector-borne · pathogen · infection · epidemic · anemia · fever · outbreak
Depleting one's stamina
- depletingProgressively using up
- sappingGradually draining vitality
- weakeningBecoming less strong
- debilitatingCausing severe impairment
enervating · consuming · taxing · tiring · fatiguing · wearing · emptying · impoverishing
leech
Blood-feeding aquatic worm
- tickParasitic eight-legged pest
- mosquitoBlood-feeding flying pest
- bedbugBlood-sucking mattress dweller
flea · louse · mite · lamprey · chigger · horsefly · tsetse · sandfly · blackfly · deerfly
parasite
One exploiting a host
- predatoryExploiting the vulnerable
- extortionObtaining through threats
- profiteeringExploiting scarcity for gain
usury · swindler · moocher · freeloader · opportunist · leech · vulture · shark · greedy · rapacious
fangs
Sharp piercing teeth
stake · garlic · immortal · nightwalker · crypt · gothic · horror · pale · sunlight · cross
malaria
Mosquito-borne parasitic infection
- dengueMosquito-borne viral disease
- typhusLouse-transmitted bacterial infection
- plagueDeadly epidemic disease
leishmaniasis · transmission · vector-borne · pathogen · infection · epidemic · anemia · fever · outbreak
exhausting
Depleting one's stamina
debilitating · enervating · consuming · taxing · tiring · fatiguing · wearing · emptying · impoverishing · bleeding
- parasitismleeching, exploiting, nest parasitism, infecting, infestation
- Insect Traitssix-legged, winged, antennae, exoskeleton, segmented
bloodsuckingherbivorous
Consuming only plants
photosynthetic · autotrophic · nectar-feeding · filter-feeding · bloodless
bloodsuckingaltruistic
Concerned for others' welfare
self-sustaining · independent · self-sufficient · generous · giving
bloodsuckinggenerous
Willing to give freely
giving · charitable · benevolent · altruistic · magnanimous
blood, suck, sanguine, suction, sucking, bloodsucker, blood-sucking, bloodsuckers, exsanguinate