as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
the troubled youth is being treated by a psychotherapist for his sadistic urges to hurt animals
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Recent Examples of sadistic
Other characters in the comics included Dilbert’s anthropomorphic megalomaniacal pet, Dogbert; his oblivious manager, known only as Pointy-Haired Boss; his co-workers, Alice, Asok, and Wally; and the sadistic head of HR Catbert.
—
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
After helping her former employer Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) escape her sadistic husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), Millie is set up with a potential new household.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
Sure enough, Andrew starts to play his sadistic mind games with Millie, who eventually manages to fight back and lock him upstairs.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
The group protested against the controversial Robert Mapplethorpe photography exhibit in Cincinnati, which included some nude photos of children and gay sadistic and masochistic culture.
—Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
After helping her former employer Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) escape her sadistic husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), Millie is set up with a potential new household.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Jan. 2026
Sure enough, Andrew starts to play his sadistic mind games with Millie, who eventually manages to fight back and lock him upstairs.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
The group protested against the controversial Robert Mapplethorpe photography exhibit in Cincinnati, which included some nude photos of children and gay sadistic and masochistic culture.
—Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadistic
Adjective
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The barrage of images broadcast out of Minneapolis and surrounding regions depict violent and brutal encounters and capture moments of utter fear, pain and confusion.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
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The collective rejection of ICE’s brutal and indefensible assault on Minneapolis is part of a larger wave of solidarity against the federal government.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Moon is at odds with three planets, which can trigger arguments, snide remarks and even cruel retorts.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
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An old 4chan meme designed as a cruel caricature has somehow become the face of clueless commentators asking for context.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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As late as the 9th century, Canis Major was pictured as a fierce, vicious hunting dog.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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That kind of improvement could help avoid a worst-case scenario the Fed has been desperate to avoid, one where expectations for high inflation trigger a vicious cycle of behavior that only worsens inflation.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Sons of Anarchy was praised for its stellar writing, operatic plotting, and cast of actors who breathed vivid life into their characters, giving even the most savage moments a dose of humanity.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Jan. 2026
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This league is a savage league.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Grant me ruthless access to the psychological image, discomfortable mercy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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His new persona as a fighting moderate, a Democrat in tune with the country’s shifting desires and ruthless toward the man at the top, deftly speaks to the needs of a party desperate to regain the White House.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sadistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadistic. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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