sadism

sa·dism

noun \ˈsā-ˌdi-zəm, ˈsa-\

Definition of SADISM

1

: a sexual perversion in which gratification is obtained by the infliction of physical or mental pain on others (as on a love object) — compare masochism

2

a : delight in cruelty b : excessive cruelty

— sa·dist \ˈsā-dist, ˈsa-\ noun

— sa·dis·tic \sə-ˈdis-tik also sā- or sa-\ adjective

— sa·dis·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of SADISM

1. <a troubled youth with a streak of sadism in him>

Origin of SADISM

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Marquis de Sade

First Known Use: 1888

Related to SADISM

Synonyms: atrociousness, atrocity, barbarity, barbarousness, brutality, cruelness, fiendishness, heartlessness, inhumanity, inhumanness, cruelty, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, wantonness

Antonyms: benignity, compassion, good-heartedness, humaneness, humanity, kindheartedness, kindness, sympathy, tenderheartedness

Related Words: hard-heartedness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessness, unfeelingness; fellness, ferociousness, ferocity, fierceness, grimness; bloodlust, bloodthirstiness, murderousness, sanguineness, sanguinity; cattiness, despitefulness, hatefulness, malevolence, maliciousness, malignity, meanness, nastiness, spitefulness; hardhandedness, harshness, heavy-handedness, oppressiveness

Near Antonyms: tenderness, warmheartedness, warmness, warmth; charitableness, clemency, leniency, mercifulness, mercy, pity

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Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with SADISM

abysm, ageism, autism, baalism, baptism, Birchism, bossism, bruxism, Buddhism, casteism, centrism, charism, Chartism, classism, cubism, cultism, czarism, deism, dwarfism, faddism, fauvism, Gaullism, Grecism, Hobbism, holism, Jainism, Klanism, leftism, lyrism, Mahdism, Maoism, Marxism, monism, mutism, Nazism, nudism, Orphism, priggism, purism, Ramism, rightism, Saivism, sapphism, Scotism, sexism, Shaktism, Shiism, Sikhism, simplism, snobbism, sophism, statism, Sufism, tachism, Tantrism, Taoism, theism, Thomism, tourism, tropism, truism, Turkism, verism, Whiggism, Yahwism