sadistic

[suh-dis-tik, sey-, sa-]

adjective

1. pertaining to or characterized by sadism; deriving pleasure or sexual gratification from extreme cruelty.

   a sadistic psychopath.

Other Word Forms

• sadistically adverb
• nonsadistic adjective
• nonsadistically adverb
• unsadistic adjective
• unsadistically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of sadistic¹

sad(ism) + -istic

Example Sentences

“I’m not a sadistic guy that wants to make a spectator suffer. I have a lot of hope. I trust in human beings, even with their contradictions and weaknesses.”

From Los Angeles Times

He also remembers head teacher Ron Morris, who he described as "sadistic", pinning him up against a wall, throttling him until he was breathless.

From BBC

The National Crime Agency's Alexander Murray said that there is a "fast-growing threat from sadistic and violent online gangs, made up predominantly of teenage boys" - something which had been identified in its recent threat assessment.

From BBC

This paved the way for harsh, and sometimes sadistic, policies involving aggressive raids, warrantless detentions, family separations and imprisonment under conditions condemned by human rights groups.

From Salon

To describe this evil little zone of exclusion as sadistic, despicable and insulting, or as a symptom of incipient or actual fascism, is accurate enough.

From Salon

Related Words

• barbarous 
• brutal 
• perverse 
• ruthless 
• vicious 

When To Use

What does sadistic mean?

Sadistic means extremely cruel or enjoying the pain of others.More specifically, sadistic can be used in the context of psychology in relation to the condition of sadism, in which a person gets sexual pleasure from other people’s pain. Sadistic can be used to describe a person or an action.Example: The dictator was known for being sadistic and merciless, enjoying the pain of the people he suppressed.