sociopath

noun

so·​cio·​path ˈsō-sē-ə-ˌpath How to pronounce sociopath (audio)
ˈsō-sh(ē-)ə-
: a sociopathic individual : psychopath

Examples of sociopath in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Nolan is mesmerizing as Augustus, a master impresario and sociopath of both charm and menace. Frank Rizzo, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024 Not all of this works: The show can’t seem to decide whether Rupert is an unforgivable sociopath, or just the misunderstood victim of a domineering mother(*). Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 Experts claim that psychopaths and sociopaths share similar characteristics. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Due to their antisocial behavior, psychopaths and sociopaths are clever and hard to spot. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Seeing real people who aren’t sociopaths or professional criminals sweat when confronted is refreshing, compelling, and every bit as interesting as watching more villainous characters take the screen. Eric Farwell, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2023 Murderous sociopaths are a kind of existence proof of what people in the A.I.-safety community call the orthogonality thesis—the idea that intelligence and morality exist in different dimensions. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2023 Dern’s blue eyes, which glittered with cruelty in countless sociopath roles over the decades, appear devoid of emotion. Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 For Cairo, meanwhile, his betrayal (as a companion, much less as an educator) offers the opportunity in her for a sociopath’s origin story, a grand transformation in which her desperate yearning for melodrama and a thirst for vengeance falls into perfect lockstep. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 24 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sociopath.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sociopath was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near sociopath

Cite this Entry

“Sociopath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sociopath. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

sociopath

noun
: a sociopathic individual
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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