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
The historical Barbie is described as very sadistic, physically aggressive — someone who enters a room and strikes people on the head, leaving them unconscious during interrogations.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
There’s an element of sadistic, John Simonesque glee to his attacks on the personal appearances of actors.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, young boys gradually become feral and sadistic when trapped on an island together, and in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero magically shipwrecks his brother and his allies so that they will all be exiled together under his watch.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
In her telling, the literature of the past lays traps into which the rich and powerful, the boorish and sadistic, inevitably stumble.
—Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
There’s an element of sadistic, John Simonesque glee to his attacks on the personal appearances of actors.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, young boys gradually become feral and sadistic when trapped on an island together, and in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero magically shipwrecks his brother and his allies so that they will all be exiled together under his watch.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
In her telling, the literature of the past lays traps into which the rich and powerful, the boorish and sadistic, inevitably stumble.
—Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadistic
Adjective
-
Higher-level inmates gorge themselves; those below face starvation, suicide or cannibalism – a brutal metaphor for the world’s food chain.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
The president’s instinct to go for the jugular was on display in his first campaign, when he was written off early on as an entertainer but found success with brutal takedowns.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Still, the simple story — written by Jordan Tannahill, who adapted his own book, and directed by Janicza Bravo — illustrates various destructive choices and cruel actions ostensibly driven by love.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
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Here is the part that feels especially cruel.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The tabloids have been extra vicious of late regarding your family strife.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Firefighters faced vicious winds and, at times, 30-foot flames.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
What begins as a desperate family bonding trip rapidly devolves into savage violence and brutal psychological warfare.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
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Their twiggy legs and bony frames exposed in bathing suits, the kids do indeed look extra vulnerable within the film’s savage landscape.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
Serenity Maggie’s (and Sweet Magnolias‘) trip to New York was cut short as Season 5 offered a juxtaposition between small-town values and ruthless big-city corporate culture.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
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Ruffalo will voice Nero, a scrappy black cat, and Fishburne will play Rocco, a ruthless cat mob boss.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sadistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadistic. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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