as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
a troubled youth with a streak of sadism in him
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Recent Examples of sadism
To be sure, the drive to appropriate was often bound up with sadism and love of domination.
—
Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Here was the postwar American housewife—neatly dressed, pretty, poised, active—stepping unwittingly into a scene of utter depravity and sadism that reflected back at this wholesome young mother the darkest recesses of the human mind.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
That might sound sadistic; indeed, sadism is something of a Hitchcockian virtue.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
Making the loser give an address after a Grand Slam final defeat is another aspect of tennis’s unrivalled sadism.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Here was the postwar American housewife—neatly dressed, pretty, poised, active—stepping unwittingly into a scene of utter depravity and sadism that reflected back at this wholesome young mother the darkest recesses of the human mind.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
That might sound sadistic; indeed, sadism is something of a Hitchcockian virtue.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
Making the loser give an address after a Grand Slam final defeat is another aspect of tennis’s unrivalled sadism.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadism
Noun
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Colin Gray, 55, pleaded not guilty on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, 20 counts of cruelty to children and five counts of reckless conduct.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
24 Feb. 2026
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Set to shoot in Kentucky in April, the film is based on the viral true story of Jeff Callaway and the rescue dog Ethan, whose miraculous survival inspired the world and led to meaningful changes to animal cruelty laws in Kentucky.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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District Judge Dayna Blazey delivered the ruling before a packed courtroom, closing a dark chapter for the men, their families and a city long haunted by the brutality of the crime.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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The declaration was aimed at closing a dark chapter for the men and their families, and for a city that was shaken by the brutality of the crime and investigators' inability to solve it for decades.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadism. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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