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
Graham Greene, Doctor Fischer of Geneva or the Bomb Party
This darkly comic tour de force from Graham Greene focuses on Dr. Fischer, a sadistic millionaire who hosts notoriously cruel parties at his lakeside mansion.
—
Literary Hub, 10 June 2025
While the Pahalgam massacre triggered Jews with flashbacks to October 7, October 7, in turn, triggered Hindus with flashbacks to the sadistic butchery in Kashmir over three decades ago.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
May 27, 2025 One of the standout performances of the franchise is Anthony Starr as Homelander, a sadistic version of Superman that leads the superhero group The Seven.
—Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
But evil often exists within the walls of a home rather than outside: her sadistic brother Shawn physically abused her for years while her parents looked the other way.
—The Know, Denver Post, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Literary Hub, 10 June 2025
While the Pahalgam massacre triggered Jews with flashbacks to October 7, October 7, in turn, triggered Hindus with flashbacks to the sadistic butchery in Kashmir over three decades ago.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
May 27, 2025 One of the standout performances of the franchise is Anthony Starr as Homelander, a sadistic version of Superman that leads the superhero group The Seven.
—Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
But evil often exists within the walls of a home rather than outside: her sadistic brother Shawn physically abused her for years while her parents looked the other way.
—The Know, Denver Post, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadistic
Adjective
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The Royals lost to the Dodgers on Friday night, a brutal 5-4 loss as Jac Caglianone grounded into a double play to conclude the 11th straight home loss.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
28 June 2025
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The 28-year-old is playing on a medical exemption after a brutal stretch of injuries and illness.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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What is a totalitarian leader other than an individualist taking that creed to its cruel conclusions, erasing the uniqueness of every other person into mere characters in a drama?—
Ed Simon
June 23,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
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That first leg ended 1-0 — a slim aggregate lead — and in the second leg back on Kiwi soil, the Australians won 2-0 with one of their goals a cruel deflection.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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This approach costs three times more than housing people and creates a vicious cycle — incarceration increases homelessness risk by destroying community connections and employment prospects.—
Mahdi E Diab,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
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Of course, no conversation about Yellowjackets season 3 would be complete without a deep dive into Shauna's vicious throw down with Swank's Melissa — during which Shauna rips a chunk of flesh off Melissa's arm with her teeth and forces her to eat it.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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Confronting Iran’s ruthless campaign of terror, nuclear ambitions, and regional aggression demands strength, resolve, and strategic clarity.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
21 June 2025
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Michael Fassbender plays the deceased Apple guru — a flawed, ruthless, but ultimately compassionate soul.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sadistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadistic. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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