as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
a troubled youth with a streak of sadism in him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of sadism
While often associated with extreme behavior, sub-clinical sadism manifests in more mundane ways, such as internet trolling or a fascination with violent video games.
—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Feb. 2026
The series begins before Gein has ever killed, in 1945, as dawning awareness of death camps in Europe fills the air with sadism and conspiracy thinking.
—
Daniel D'addario,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
The invading parasite is a culture of hate and paranoia and sadism — mass hysteria as sanctioned by the government that is supposed to protect you.
—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Humor responds to a misfortune with sadism and schadenfreude.
—
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Feb. 2026
The series begins before Gein has ever killed, in 1945, as dawning awareness of death camps in Europe fills the air with sadism and conspiracy thinking.
—
Daniel D'addario,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
The invading parasite is a culture of hate and paranoia and sadism — mass hysteria as sanctioned by the government that is supposed to protect you.
—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Humor responds to a misfortune with sadism and schadenfreude.
—
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadism
Noun
-
According to the Sheriff’s Office, a judge released Cruz on his own recognizance June 4 following his arraignment on felony animal cruelty charges in Sacramento Superior Court.
-
At one point, the narrator, embarrassed by his own act of cruelty, gives a sobbing woman all his money and then leaves her alone in a hotel room.
Noun
-
Lee learned much about the systemic oppression that Black Americans faced from his first student, Jesse Glover, who had been a victim of police brutality.
-
These early precedents in fictional brutality also weaken Thomson’s next point, about literature’s superiority.
Cite this Entry
“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadism. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
