sadistic
adjective
sa·dis·tic
sə-ˈdi-stik 
also sā-,
or sa-
: of, relating to, or characterized by sadism
sadistic fantasies
: taking pleasure in the infliction of pain, punishment, or humiliation on others
a leg … sawed off in sections by a sadistic surgeon—
The New Yorker
The New YorkerFor my 41st birthday, an especially sadistic buddy gave me a video of me falling off my skateboard nearly 160 times.—Bret Anthony Johnston
Bret Anthony Johnston
sadistically
adverb
… in a gangster story realism requires that the hoods kill each other off and do so sadistically.
—Robert F. Moss
Robert F. Moss
Examples of sadistic in a Sentence
the troubled youth is being treated by a psychotherapist for his sadistic urges to hurt animals
Recent Examples on the Web
Unlike the others who were sadistic killers who took pleasure in their acts, Berkowitz’s crimes felt more like a cry for help.
—Peter White, Deadline, 29 July 2025
Layla’s final days on Earth were marred by sadistic suffering — cowering in terror beneath furniture while her ailing heart struggled against the Blue Angels' relentless noise pollution.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 24 July 2025
Layla's final days on Earth were marred by sadistic suffering—cowering in terror beneath furniture while her ailing heart struggled against the Blue Angels's relentless noise pollution.
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
The brilliance of Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as the sadistic, ultra-macho Phil Burbank is in Phil’s phoniness.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
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Peter White, Deadline, 29 July 2025
Layla’s final days on Earth were marred by sadistic suffering — cowering in terror beneath furniture while her ailing heart struggled against the Blue Angels' relentless noise pollution.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 24 July 2025
Layla's final days on Earth were marred by sadistic suffering—cowering in terror beneath furniture while her ailing heart struggled against the Blue Angels's relentless noise pollution.
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
The brilliance of Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as the sadistic, ultra-macho Phil Burbank is in Phil’s phoniness.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Cite this Entry
“Sadistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sadistic. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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