schadenfreude

noun, often capitalized

scha·den·freu·de | \ ˈshä-dᵊn-ˌfrȯi-də

How to pronounce schadenfreude (audio)

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Definition of schadenfreude

: enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others

Examples of schadenfreude in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When management would move the pictures around (or, worse, banish one entirely) in accordance with the ebb and flow of their subjects’ successes, the reshuffling prompted all sorts of glee and schadenfreude among other customers. — Town & Country, "Wall of Shame: What Happens to Controversial Portrait Walls in the #MeToo Era?," 30 Nov. 2018 In some corners, Fox News insiders were enjoying a certain schadenfreude in Kelly’s NBC failure. — Sarah Ellison, The Seattle Times, "Megyn Kelly’s NBC morning show is canceled," 26 Oct. 2018 That Cohen is the bozo in this little dunk-tank exercise is an occasion for unmistakable schadenfreude. — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, "Stormy Daniels Is Running Rings Around Trump's Lawyer," 9 Mar. 2018 Stories about student loan borrowers with six-figure debt loads might shock us, intrigue us or appeal to our deep-seated sense of financial schadenfreude. — Brianna Mcgurran, The Seattle Times, "Ask Brianna: When a student debt becomes a lot of trouble," 2 Oct. 2018 The result is a topsy-turvy and surprisingly sympathetic (if not without a sense of schadenfreude) take on the American Dream, boom and bust. — Vogue, "These Are the 66 Best Documentaries of All Time," 8 Aug. 2018 Your anger or indignation or gleeful schadenfreude is only one drop in a great countrywide wave of it. — Steven Hyden, New York Times, "Is the National ‘Mood’ the One in Polls or the One Online?," 2 July 2018 But Brazil will be the team going deeper in this World Cup after qualifying for the knockout round later on Wednesday, and some Brazilians were in no mood to deprive themselves of a little schadenfreude. — Christopher Clarey, New York Times, "Germany Crashes Out of World Cup With a Loss to South Korea," 28 June 2018 While New York officials reacted soberly to Schneiderman's departure, those in President Donald Trump's inner circle oozed schadenfreude on social media. — NBC News, "New York prosecutors probing ousted A.G. Schneiderman as governor calls allegations 'disturbing'," 8 May 2018

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

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More Definitions for schadenfreude

schadenfreude

noun

English Language Learners Definition of schadenfreude

formal : a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people

See the full definition for schadenfreude in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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WORD OF THE DAY

disparage

to speak slightingly about or to degrade

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