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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for sadism
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
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
See All Example Sentences for sadism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadism
Noun
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In more serious cases where a pet is badly harmed or dies, prosecutors can pursue a felony animal cruelty charge.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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The scrutiny of fame has always been dehumanizing, though the ubiquity of the modern-day comment section has surely accelerated and exaggerated its cruelty.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Yet, while Munro’s denial was a horrible violence, Fremlin’s deplorable acts were the original brutality.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
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Nominations in the news, public service and radio/podcast categories span networks, from PBS to ABC and NBC News, with topics ranging from the Los Angeles wildfires to the war in Gaza, immigration and police brutality.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadism. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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