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
The invading parasite is a culture of hate and paranoia and sadism — mass hysteria as sanctioned by the government that is supposed to protect you.
—
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Humor responds to a misfortune with sadism and schadenfreude.
—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
To be sure, the drive to appropriate was often bound up with sadism and love of domination.
—Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
That might sound sadistic; indeed, sadism is something of a Hitchcockian virtue.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Humor responds to a misfortune with sadism and schadenfreude.
—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
To be sure, the drive to appropriate was often bound up with sadism and love of domination.
—Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
That might sound sadistic; indeed, sadism is something of a Hitchcockian virtue.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadism
Noun
-
That’s one of the great cruelties of the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
The movie, set in Spain in 1944, is both an intoxicating work of fantasy and a grim parable of political rebellion, and its insights into the cruelties and vulnerabilities of fascist power remain undimmed.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
But no matter the brutality, Allin was able to withstand it all.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
The brutality of Butcher (Karl Urban) comes under the spotlight again, the episode questioning if the ends really justify the means—killing Homelander might complete Butcher’s transformation into a monster.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadism. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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