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sadism

noun

sa·dism | \ ˈsā-ˌdi-zəm

, ˈsa- \

Definition of sadism

1 : the derivation of sexual gratification from the infliction of physical pain or humiliation on another person — compare masochism, sadomasochism

2a : delight in cruelty

b : extreme cruelty

Synonyms & Antonyms What is the Difference Between the Words masochism & sadism? Example Sentences Learn More About sadism

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What is the Difference Between the Words masochism & sadism?

Masochism and sadism are both about the enjoyment of pain. Masochism refers to the enjoyment of experiencing pain while sadism refers to the enjoyment of inflicting pain on someone else.

Interestingly, both masochism and sadism are eponymous words. English has thousands of such words, taken from the names of people both real and fictional. Masochism comes from the name of the 19th century German novelist, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. It is unusual in that it began to be used during the lifetime of the man from whom it originated (Sacher-Masoch died in 1895, and masochism had been in printed use since 1892). Sadism comes from the name of the French writer, the Marquis de Sade (1740-1814).

The two words are not only often encountered in connection with one another, they have been combined into a single word, sadomasochism.

Examples of sadism in a Sentence

a troubled youth with a streak of sadism in him

Recent Examples on the Web This Bond succumbs to Tarantino’s white-boy sadism through indie director Cary Joji Fukunaga’s post-Obama biracial liberal guilt. — Armond White, National Review, 8 Oct. 2021 Eroticism and sadism abound here between the characters, and the film includes a variety of explicit scenes. — Katherine J Igoe, Marie Claire, 1 Oct. 2021 Her characters’ masochism, and, at moments, the reader’s sadism, is elicited by the recognition that there is rarely another way of holding men accountable. — Merve Emre, The New York Review of Books, 22 Oct. 2020 In 2004, revelations of torture and sadism at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq prompted shock and anger both domestically and abroad. — Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2021 The images suggest hint at the large distance separating the series and Corbucci’s original which moved waves for the brutality and sadism of its violence, as well as its select realism, seen in its mud-bath local high street shot in gray and sepia. — John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Aug. 2021 What was new about the Jacobins was a deliberate, gloating sadism that is still shocking to read about. — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2021 While the plot of Casino Royale (2006) partly reverted to the original blend of glamorous gamblers and Spillane-ish sadism, Bond has since looked progressively raggedier, more bitter and more used up. — Scott Bradfield, The New Republic, 13 July 2021 The brothers also understood the weirdly seductive sadism of restaurant service in Paris and carried it over to the hotel—to the consternation of many, and the delight of some. — Alexandra Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sadism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Learn More About sadism

Dictionary Entries Near sadism

sadiron

sadism

sadist

Statistics for sadism

Last Updated

22 Oct 2021

Cite this Entry

“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sadism. Accessed 7 Nov. 2021.

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More Definitions for sadism

sadism

noun

English Language Learners Definition of sadism

: enjoyment that someone gets from being violent or cruel or from causing pain especially : sexual enjoyment from hurting or punishing someone

See the full definition for sadism in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sadism

noun

sa·dism | \ ˈsā-ˌdiz-əm

, ˈsad-ˌiz-

Medical Definition of sadism

: a sexual perversion in which gratification is obtained by the infliction of physical or mental pain on others (as on a love object) — compare algolagnia, masochism

Other Words from sadism

sadistic \ sə-ˈdis-tik also sā- or sa- \ adjective

sadistically \ -ti-k(ə-)lē

\ adverb