schadenfreude

American  

[shahd-n-froi-duh] / ˈʃɑd nˌfrɔɪ də /

noun

1. satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune.

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Schadenfreude British  

/ ˈʃaːdənfrɔydə /

noun

1. delight in another's misfortune

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Etymology

Origin of schadenfreude

1890–95; < German, equivalent to Schaden harm + Freude joy

Explanation

When another person's bad luck secretly makes you feel good, that's schadenfreude. Your brother's rejection from a college that also rejected you might give you a twinge of schadenfreude. If you're fired from your difficult job, no one can blame you for a bit of schadenfreude as you watch your replacement struggle with your old tasks. This German word perfectly captures that satisfied feeling everyone gets at times when someone else runs into misfortune. In German, Schadenfreude literally means "damage-joy," and it's always spelled with a capital S. The word came into English use in the 1920s, and you can spell it with a small s if you prefer.

Example Sentences

For those seeking schadenfreude, look no further than the immense coach doors, opening to the front and hinged at the rear.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Now, the foundations of their empire are cracking—raising questions about the once-sizzling industry’s future and transfixing Wall Street in a mix of schadenfreude and anxiety.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

But schadenfreude is the American way, especially if it happens on national television.

From Salon • Sep. 7, 2025

In the spirit of schadenfreude, I’d have happily watched a whole additional hour of this Chuck-driven armageddon where, as his body collapses, the stars in the sky blink out one by one.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2025

Let us go, you & I, to re-invent the damage and call it discovery, to uniformly lift up our cry in schadenfreude, meek before Great Cities that bend as fenders to the glare.

From Unmanned by Oliver, Stephen