Word of the Day
: February 5, 2022schadenfreude
play
noun
SHAH-dun-froy-duh
What It Means
Schadenfreude is the enjoyment obtained from the troubles of other people.
// Schadenfreude was felt by many viewers when the arrogant contestant was voted off the show.
schadenfreude in Context
"A glaring subplot in all this is that Jim Harbaugh has never beaten Ohio State in five tries as the Michigan coach, a continuous source of frustration among Wolverines fans and gleeful schadenfreude in Columbus." — Mitch Stacy,The Associated Press, 21 Nov. 2021
Did You Know?
Schadenfreude is a combination of the German nouns Schaden, meaning "damage" or "harm," and Freude, meaning "joy." So it makes sense that schadenfreude means joy over some harm or misfortune suffered by another.
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Quiz
Fill in the blanks to complete a word for an act of rejoicing: j _ _ il _ _ _ on.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
