sadism

noun sa·dism \ ˈsā-ˌdi-zəm , ˈsa- \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Editor's Note: What is the Difference Between the Words masochism & sadism?

Definition of sadism

1 : the derivation of sexual gratification from the infliction of physical pain or humiliation on another person — compare masochism, sadomasochism

2 a : delight in cruelty

b : excessive cruelty

—

sadist

play \ˈsā-dist, ˈsa-\ noun

—

sadistic

play \sə-ˈdi-stik also sā- or sa-\ adjective

—

sadistically

play \sə-ˈdi-sti-k(ə-)lē also sā- or sa-\ adverb

See sadism defined for English-language learners

See sadism defined for kids

Examples of sadism in a Sentence

a troubled youth with a streak of sadism in him

Recent Examples of sadism from the Web

So in some cases swatting is just manifestations of someone’s sadism.

— german lopez, Vox, "David Hogg’s family was swatted. That’s extremely dangerous.," 5 June 2018
There are more than just a few Sapphic suggestions here, along with the religious lunacy, sadism, hallucinations, magic realism and a visual vocabulary rooted in horror.

— john anderson, WSJ, "‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ Review: No Walk in the Park," 24 May 2018
In this episode, at least, Elder William repaid his loyal listener by rescuing him and his kin from Major Craddock, whose tequila tortures pale in sadism only next to the method of railroad construction now practiced in the park.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "Westworld and the Question of Immortality," 13 May 2018
As viscerally upsetting as that opening scene is, The Handmaid’s Tale doesn’t traffic in sadism for its own sake.

— emma dibdin, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Handmaid’s Tale," 25 Apr. 2018
McCoy is certain that the victims’ deaths can be traced to the door of the richest family in Glasgow—whose ice-cold patriarch and his wastrel son are rumored to host orgies laced with drugs and sadism.

— tom nolan, WSJ, "Mysteries: Glaswegian Goons," 4 May 2018
Yet little in his life story would suggest the sadism of those acts.

— latimes.com, "Today: History, Made in South Korea," 27 Apr. 2018
Before long, this tough-minded if generous-hearted movie becomes nearly unbearable as its overarching ethic of honesty edges too close to sadism.

— manohla dargis, New York Times, "Review: In ‘Lean on Pete,’ a Boy’s Survival in the Other America," 5 Apr. 2018
The action is brutal and unsparing but strikingly devoid of sadism; more than once, the movie skips the gory details and cuts to the aftermath, as if to emphasize the finality of all this killing.

— justin chang, latimes.com, "Joaquin Phoenix descends into a hellish New York underworld in the haunting 'You Were Never Really Here'," 5 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sadism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What is the Difference Between the Words masochism & sadism?

Masochism and sadism are both about the enjoyment of pain. Masochism refers to the enjoyment of experiencing pain while sadism refers to the enjoyment of inflicting pain on someone else.

Interestingly, both masochism and sadism are eponymous words. English has thousands of such words, taken from the names of people both real and fictional. Masochism comes from the name of the 19th century German novelist, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. It is unusual in that it began to be used during the lifetime of the man from whom it originated (Sacher-Masoch died in 1895, and masochism had been in printed use since 1892). Sadism comes from the name of the French writer, the Marquis de Sade (1740-1814).

The two words are not only often encountered in connection with one another, they have been combined into a single word, sadomasochism.

Origin and Etymology of sadism

International Scientific Vocabulary, from Marquis de Sade

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1818

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

sadism Synonyms

Other Psychology Terms

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

SADISM Defined for English Language Learners

sadism

noun

Definition of sadism for English Language Learners

: enjoyment that someone gets from being violent or cruel or from causing pain; especially : sexual enjoyment from hurting or punishing someone

Medical Dictionary

sadism

noun sa·dism \ ˈsā-ˌdiz-əm , ˈsad-ˌiz- \

medical Definition of sadism

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

—

sadistic

\sə-ˈdis-tik also sā- or sa-\ adjective

—

sadistically

play \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Biographical Note for sadism

Sade play \sȧd\, Marquis de (Comte Donatien–Alphonse–François) (1740–1814), French soldier and writer. From the time that he was a young nobleman Sade consorted with prostitutes and developed a taste for sexual perversions. He was imprisoned on several occasions for his harsh abuse of prostitutes and gross licentiousness. After arriving at the Bastille in 1784 he began writing erotic novels in which he gave full expression to his sexual fantasies. His most famous novel was The Adversities of Virtue (1787). His works are known for their graphic descriptions of sexual perversions. His last years were spent in an insane asylum at Charenton, where he wrote plays for his fellow inmates to perform. His compulsion for physically and sexually abusing others gave rise to the concept of sadism.