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

Sentencing Plumb, Mr Justice Murray described some of his plans as "particularly sadistic, brutal and degrading", and said he had "no doubt that this was all considerably more than a fantasy".

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Much of the book makes for extremely harrowing reading, as Ms Giuffre details the sadistic abuse that Epstein put her through.

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At his sentencing, judge Mr Justice Murray said some of the plans Plumb discussed online were "sadistic, brutal and degrading".

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Of course, no return to the Borderland would be complete without partaking in sadistic games, and that required inventing new ways to test the players.

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“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.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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.