SADISTIC Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

sadistic

adjective

sə-ˈdi-stik

Definition of sadistic

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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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 sadistic But his voice tyrannically resounds with sadistic orders and conservative cultural commentary during the second-act flashback scene, in which a fateful day on the set of the show changes the lives of Ronika and Blair. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026 Dungeon Crawler Carl is set after an alien invasion has wiped out most of humanity and any survivors are forced to fight for their lives on a sadistic intergalactic game show. — Peter White, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 Bradshaw raised the ambiguity of the film’s central letter, in which Elisabet leaves an envelope open for Alma to read, and asked whether Bergman was showing a darker, more sadistic side of his heroine. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026 Bryant then claims that Cunningham's stance on female sports is comparable to Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem or denouncing the Fourth of July as sadistic. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sadistic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadistic

Adjective

In Samo’s warped reality, omnipresent hornets gain an evil power, forcing him to confront his mother in what could turn into a brutal showdown.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2026
At this point, both teams are just playing for bowl eligibility, with brutal November schedules awaiting each team.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of brutal

Adjective

People talking to an AI in an abusive and cruel way are more likely to be associated with trying to get the AI model to engage in dangerous requests, like trying to get around an AI’s safety guardrails, Campbell added.

— Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
From the very start, the students assigned as guards went on cruel power trips and repeatedly humiliated — if not psychologically tortured — the inmates, to the point that some of the prisoners suffered nervous breakdowns.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

For the moment, Trump’s vicious bigotry has alienated most independent voters and even some Republicans.

— David Yassky, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
Outside observers described his vicious consolidation of power as an attempt to compensate for his youth, his limited political experience, and his complete lack of a military background.

— Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of vicious

Adjective

Reducing Gulliver’s Travels to only a topsy-turvy tale of humans both tiny and massive is to ignore the savage intellect that penned its words.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
In ancient, supposedly more savage times, public killings were common.

— Dr. Michael Good, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of savage

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sadism

sadistic

sadly

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“Sadistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadistic. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of sadistic

adjective

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