sadist

noun

sa·​dist ˈsā-dist How to pronounce sadist (audio) ˈsa- How to pronounce sadist (audio)
plural sadists
: one characterized by sadism : a person who takes pleasure in inflicting pain, punishment, or humiliation on others
a sexual sadist
He's a sadist and, where Toby is concerned, an unusually relentless one: he's in the boy's face constantly, prodding, belittling, taunting.Terrence Rafferty
To the penal colony, the cat-o'-nine-tails was a tool more basic than the hoe. On Norfolk Island, where the camp was commanded by a succession of sadists, there were other forms of torture as well …Clive James

Examples of sadist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This juvenile sadist makes a hobby out of humiliation, intimidation, inflicting pain both physical and emotional. Judy Berman, TIME, 10 Oct. 2024 Arthur has all but wasted to away to nothing during his time at the glorified prison, where the guards—led by Brendan Gleeson's jolly sadist Jackie—taunt and physically abuse the inmates. Megan McCluskey, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024 When that job ended, he was spared once again—this time because a Gestapo officer named Felix Landau, a sadist with artistic pretensions, enlisted him as his personal lackey. Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023 His emissary is the vicious — wait for it — Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), a sinewy sadist sporting Bolshevik-style outerwear over Nazi-chic black and white, who favors bashing his victims’ skulls in with a staff made from the bone of some ancient creature. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for sadist 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sadist.' 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

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sadist was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near sadist

Cite this Entry

“Sadist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sadist. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

sadist

noun
sa·​dist
ˈsād-əst,
ˈsad-
: an individual who practices sadism

Medical Definition

sadist

noun
sa·​dist ˈsād-əst How to pronounce sadist (audio) ˈsad- How to pronounce sadist (audio)
: an individual who practices sadism
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!