as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
a troubled youth with a streak of sadism in him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sadism
Examining the real reasons for this is less fun—and, for many, less profitable—than imagining that Hollywood is a front for ritualistic sadism.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 3 June 2025
Zephyr’s girlboss attitude doesn’t offset any of the sadism.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
Still, weapon damage lacks spice — the over-the-top comic sadism and gore that made DOOM Eternal a constant joy is muted.
—Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
O’Brian emphasizes the value of the partnership by focusing—with humor that can verge on sadism—on his characters’ individual weaknesses, rather than their strengths.
—Olivia Wolfgang-Smith
february 4, Literary Hub, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 3 June 2025
Zephyr’s girlboss attitude doesn’t offset any of the sadism.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
Still, weapon damage lacks spice — the over-the-top comic sadism and gore that made DOOM Eternal a constant joy is muted.
—Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
O’Brian emphasizes the value of the partnership by focusing—with humor that can verge on sadism—on his characters’ individual weaknesses, rather than their strengths.
—Olivia Wolfgang-Smith
february 4, Literary Hub, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadism
Noun
-
As the population dwindled, Spanish cruelty increased.—
Greg Grandin
September 23,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Stein faces a charge of cruelty to an animal with serious bodily injury, Fort Worth police said.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
He was also convicted in April of distributing steroids and altering records to try and cover it up, which carries twice as much potential prison time as plotting to commit police brutality.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
-
We’ve all been cast adrift in the cognitive dissonance between the visceral seriousness of the crime and the abject flippancy of the shooter, the brutality of the shooting and the memes reacting to Kirk’s bigoted views.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadism. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share