sadistic
Americanadjective
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of sadistic
Explanation
If you kick your little brother in the shin and feel a strange sense of enjoyment as you watch him cry, then you’re being sadistic, meaning that you get pleasure from hurting others. The Marquis de Sade was an 18th century French nobleman who became known for his unusual practices — which included finding pleasure from causing others pain. From the Marquis, we get the word sadism, which is used to describe someone who gets a strange enjoyment out of making others suffer. Someone who is sadistic might feel a cruel thrill from kicking a helpless puppy or making a child cry.
Vocabulary lists containing sadistic
The Catcher in the Rye
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The Book Thief
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"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Nine
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There’s an element of sadistic, John Simonesque glee to his attacks on the personal appearances of actors.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Even the snobbiest TV snoots can’t resist Alan Cumming as the playfully sadistic laird of Ardross Castle, emceeing what is essentially a closed circle murder mystery.
From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026
He self-referentially calls himself “that sadistic letter-abuser, Douglas R. Hofstadter,” and there is indeed a lot of vigorous torquing of serifs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
Another Oscar for best supporting actor came in 1991 for Unforgiven - a Clint Eastwood Western - in which he played a sadistic sheriff, Bill Daggett.
From BBC • Feb. 27, 2025
Because I outsmarted his sadistic Hunger Games, made the Capitol look foolish, and consequently undermined his control.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
