sociopathic

adjective

so·​cio·​path·​ic ˌsō-sē-ə-ˈpa-thik How to pronounce sociopathic (audio)
ˌsō-sh(ē-)ə-
: of, relating to, or characterized by asocial or antisocial behavior or exhibiting antisocial personality disorder

Examples of sociopathic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Michael Jordan: a player with a relentless, almost sociopathic, desire to win while soaring through the sky, the whole world wanting to Be Like Mike, the tragic murder of his father, the odd baseball excursion before returning to the NBA to reassert his dominance. Will Leitch, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2023 As envisioned by novelist Suzanne Collins, the dystopian realm of Panem — where combatants between the ages of 12 and 18 engage in an annual fight to the death for the elite’s amusement — offers an incisive metaphor for class oppression and sociopathic voyeurism. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023 People with the disorder have been portrayed in movies and TV shows as sociopathic, dangerous and the punchline to many a joke. Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2023 Because just for the record, Augustus was kind of a sociopathic murderer. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2023 The bad sound and slaughterhouse management of the human livestock by the venue and the sociopathic behavior of ticket-holders are not his fault. Jackson Landers, Spin, 14 Aug. 2023 The person that was brought into the leadership position was sociopathic and most of us who were involved were in our early 20s. Emily Longeretta, Variety, 10 Aug. 2023 Centering on a chilling and murderous chase between a Texas sheriff and a sociopathic killer, the novel is an unflinching exploration of violence, isolation, and masculinity. Lucas Wittmann, Time, 13 June 2023 At its center is Dix Steele, a sociopathic killer masquerading as a writer, who in the end turns out to be too smart for his own good. Boris Kachka, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2023 See More

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

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sociopathic was in 1917

Dictionary Entries Near sociopathic

Cite this Entry

“Sociopathic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sociopathic. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Medical Definition

sociopathic

adjective
so·​cio·​path·​ic ˌsō-sē-ə-ˈpath-ik How to pronounce sociopathic (audio) ˌsō-sh(ē-)ə- How to pronounce sociopathic (audio)
: of, relating to, or characterized by asocial or antisocial behavior or an antisocial personality

More from Merriam-Webster on sociopathic

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