sociopath

American  

[soh-see-uh-path, soh-shee-] / ˈsoʊ si əˌpæθ, ˈsoʊ ʃi- /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. a person with a psychopathic personality whose behavior is antisocial, often criminal, and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.

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sociopath British  

/ ˌsəʊsɪˈɒpəθɪ, ˈsəʊsɪəˌpæθ /

noun

1. psychiatry another name for psychopath

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sociopath Cultural  

1. Someone whose social behavior is extremely abnormal. Sociopaths are interested only in their personal needs and desires, without concern for the effects of their behavior on others. (Compare psychopath.)

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Other Word Forms

• sociopathic adjective
• sociopathy noun

Etymology

Origin of sociopath

First recorded in 1940–45; socio- + -path

Compare meaning

How does sociopath compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sociopath vs. psychopath

Example Sentences

He delights in his mastery of the battlefield, military or civilian, flexing his psychological muscles with a sociopath’s defiant swagger.

From Los Angeles Times

The actor could easily put his skills to use playing a duplicitous sociopath in a psychological drama, but as a comedy “Killing” is simply dead.

From The Wall Street Journal

Large language models like Copilot or ChatGPT aren’t suited to being used as financial advisers because they are the digital equivalent of sociopaths—smooth, persuasive and devoid of empathy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Just stand there and stare like a sociopath.

From Salon

Asked on Friday why he used "sociopath", Mr Linehan replied: "Because the things he was involved in caused great misery to people."

From BBC

Related Words

• lunatic