as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
the troubled youth is being treated by a psychotherapist for his sadistic urges to hurt animals
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Recent Examples of sadistic
To close out season 5 — and kick off season 6 — Criminal Minds turned to former Pennywise actor Tim Curry to play sadistic serial killer Billy Flynn.
—
Rachel Labonte,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
And there was a sadistic streak to the attacks.
—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
The historical Barbie is described as very sadistic, physically aggressive — someone who enters a room and strikes people on the head, leaving them unconscious during interrogations.
—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
There’s an element of sadistic, John Simonesque glee to his attacks on the personal appearances of actors.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Rachel Labonte,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
And there was a sadistic streak to the attacks.
—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
The historical Barbie is described as very sadistic, physically aggressive — someone who enters a room and strikes people on the head, leaving them unconscious during interrogations.
—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
There’s an element of sadistic, John Simonesque glee to his attacks on the personal appearances of actors.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadistic
Adjective
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And Addy, perhaps the most brutal American Girl story, is enslaved.
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In January, the government suppressed huge nationwide protests in a brutal crackdown that left thousands dead.
Adjective
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The heat has become so unbearable in Japan that weather officials in April announced a new term for days when maximum temperatures exceed 104 degrees — kokushobi, meaning harsh or cruel heat, according to the Japan Times.
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For thousands of Venezuelans, however, the lack of definitive answers has become one of the tragedy’s cruelest consequences.
Adjective
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This vicious machine chewed him up and spit him out in predictable fashion.
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The mood changed a bit when Tab Ramos took a vicious elbow to the side of his head and fractured his skull.
Adjective
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The Yellow Death has disfigured the population, and soldiers in white-and-red tunics serve the savage Duke of Tviot.
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Josefowicz, in her decathlon of a performance, brought Ligeti’s savage discontinuities to the surface.
Adjective
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Natural selection is usually ruthless about weeding out traits with no function.
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Supergirl builds to a final showdown with Krem of the Yellow Hills, the ruthless Brigands leader who murdered Ruthye’s family and poisoned Krypto early in the film.
Cite this Entry
“Sadistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadistic. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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