Sadistic
adjective
Taking pleasure in causing pain or suffering to others.
The villain in the movie is a sadistic character who enjoys seeing others in pain.
Often appears as...
- sadistic pleasure
- sadistic behavior
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Related to a form of sexual behavior where pleasure is gained from causing pain, suffering, or humiliation to others.
Sadistic behaviors are often considered abnormal and unhealthy.
Often appears as...
- sadistic fantasy
- sadistic dominance
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
adjective
Taking pleasure in causing pain or suffering to others.
The villain in the movie is a sadistic character who enjoys seeing others in pain.
Often appears as...
- sadistic pleasure
- sadistic behavior
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Related to a form of sexual behavior where pleasure is gained from causing pain, suffering, or humiliation to others.
Sadistic behaviors are often considered abnormal and unhealthy.
Often appears as...
- sadistic fantasy
- sadistic dominance
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
The word 'sadistic' has a strong negative connotation and implies extreme cruelty.
The judge condemned the sadistic nature of the crime.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Sensitivity
Using 'sadistic' inappropriately can offend, so reserve it for clear-cut cases of cruelty.
He wasn't just strict; his sadistic methods terrified us.
Pro Tip 3/3Hyperbolic Usage
'Sadistic' is sometimes used hyperbolically to refer to lesser forms of meanness.
Stop being sadistic by hiding my glasses just for fun.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
The word 'sadistic' has a strong negative connotation and implies extreme cruelty.
The judge condemned the sadistic nature of the crime.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Sensitivity
Using 'sadistic' inappropriately can offend, so reserve it for clear-cut cases of cruelty.
He wasn't just strict; his sadistic methods terrified us.
Pro Tip 3/3Hyperbolic Usage
'Sadistic' is sometimes used hyperbolically to refer to lesser forms of meanness.
Stop being sadistic by hiding my glasses just for fun.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
The word 'sadistic' has a strong negative connotation and implies extreme cruelty.
The judge condemned the sadistic nature of the crime.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Sensitivity
Using 'sadistic' inappropriately can offend, so reserve it for clear-cut cases of cruelty.
He wasn't just strict; his sadistic methods terrified us.
Pro Tip 3/3Hyperbolic Usage
'Sadistic' is sometimes used hyperbolically to refer to lesser forms of meanness.
Stop being sadistic by hiding my glasses just for fun.
Never forget "Sadistic"
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Video examples
Everything you think you...
who carried out an incredible experiment I think really helps us to understand this issue. Professor Alexander explained to me, the idea of addiction we've all got in our heads, that story, comes partly from a series of experiments that were done earlier in the 20th century. They're really simple. You can do them tonight at home if you feel a little sadistic.
Video examples
The surprising decline...
were routine forms of criminal punishment. The kind of infraction today that would give you a fine, in those days, would result in your tongue being cut out, your ears being cut off, you being blinded, a hand being chopped off and so on. There were numerous ingenious forms of sadistic capital
Video examples
Why should you read...
the sadistic slave drivers of House Harkonnen. The conflict between these houses upends the delicate political balance on Arrakis. Soon, Paul is catapulted into the middle of a planetary revolution, where he must prove himself capable of leading— and surviving— on this hostile desert world.
Video examples
The psychology of evil PIPE...
They said only one percent. Because that's sadistic behavior, and we know, psychiatry knows, only one percent of Americans are sadistic. Here's the data. They could not be more wrong. Two thirds go all the way to 450 volts. This was just one study. Milgram did more than 16 studies.
Video examples
How I found a mythical...
A bit sadistic, aren't we? Jeez. Leave them marinating for a little longer. What's, again, amazing are these temperatures. They're similar to things that I've seen on volcanoes all over the world and even super-volcanoes like Yellowstone.
Video examples
Bobby Ghosh: Why global...
9/11 didn't empower him; it doomed him. Who killed bin Ladenism? Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed it. He was the especially sadistic head of al Qaeda in Iraq who sent hundreds of suicide bombers to attack
Video examples
Why domestic violence...
the man who beat their mother and still we ask why doesn't she just leave I was able to leave because of one final sadistic beating that broke through my denial I realized that the man who I
Video examples
Vincent Cochetel: I was...
just two metal buckets open, one for water, for one waste. Can you imagine that mock execution can be a pastime for guards when they are sadistic or when they are just bored or drunk?
Video examples
Why domestic violence...
to spend unsupervised time with the man who beat their mother. And still we ask, why doesn't she just leave? I was able to leave, because of one final, sadistic beating
Video examples
Can you solve the risky...
Your antivirus squad is up against a particularly sadistic bit of malicious code that’s hijacked your mainframe.
Video examples
Everything you think you...
who carried out an incredible experiment I think really helps us to understand this issue. Professor Alexander explained to me, the idea of addiction we've all got in our heads, that story, comes partly from a series of experiments that were done earlier in the 20th century. They're really simple. You can do them tonight at home if you feel a little sadistic.
Video examples
The surprising decline...
were routine forms of criminal punishment. The kind of infraction today that would give you a fine, in those days, would result in your tongue being cut out, your ears being cut off, you being blinded, a hand being chopped off and so on. There were numerous ingenious forms of sadistic capital
Video examples
Why should you read...
the sadistic slave drivers of House Harkonnen. The conflict between these houses upends the delicate political balance on Arrakis. Soon, Paul is catapulted into the middle of a planetary revolution, where he must prove himself capable of leading— and surviving— on this hostile desert world.
Video examples
The psychology of evil PIPE...
They said only one percent. Because that's sadistic behavior, and we know, psychiatry knows, only one percent of Americans are sadistic. Here's the data. They could not be more wrong. Two thirds go all the way to 450 volts. This was just one study. Milgram did more than 16 studies.
Video examples
How I found a mythical...
A bit sadistic, aren't we? Jeez. Leave them marinating for a little longer. What's, again, amazing are these temperatures. They're similar to things that I've seen on volcanoes all over the world and even super-volcanoes like Yellowstone.
Video examples
Bobby Ghosh: Why global...
9/11 didn't empower him; it doomed him. Who killed bin Ladenism? Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed it. He was the especially sadistic head of al Qaeda in Iraq who sent hundreds of suicide bombers to attack
Video examples
Why domestic violence...
the man who beat their mother and still we ask why doesn't she just leave I was able to leave because of one final sadistic beating that broke through my denial I realized that the man who I
Video examples
Vincent Cochetel: I was...
just two metal buckets open, one for water, for one waste. Can you imagine that mock execution can be a pastime for guards when they are sadistic or when they are just bored or drunk?
Video examples
Why domestic violence...
to spend unsupervised time with the man who beat their mother. And still we ask, why doesn't she just leave? I was able to leave, because of one final, sadistic beating
Video examples
Can you solve the risky...
Your antivirus squad is up against a particularly sadistic bit of malicious code that’s hijacked your mainframe.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Morten Tyldum
Norwegian Director
I don't know if it's a sadistic side or whatever, but you take characters and put them in really awful situations and make them go through that. And it's very satisfying as a director to explore that, to tell those stories and to explore those themes, because it is so human.
Quote examples
George Orwell
British Author
Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting.
Quote examples
Gene Ween
American Musician
Most of our fans seem to be very intelligent people who don't stand out too much, but they're still total freaks. I like that - they're smart and sadistic, which I think is a reflection at us.
Quote examples
Jack Hemingway
My father was a fun-loving person, not the evil, sadistic, macho, woman-hating guy that comes through in some of the biographies.
Quote examples
Julie Plec
American Producer
I think, make it as beautiful as you can, and then rip it away. That's my sadistic thought as a storyteller.
Quote examples
Marie Curie
Polish Scientist
There are sadistic scientists who hurry to hunt down errors instead of establishing the truth.
Quote examples
Woody Allen
American Director
I'd call him a sadistic, hippophilic necrophile, but that would be beating a dead horse.
Quote examples
Alan K. Simpson
American Politician
You were doing a sadistic little disservice to your country.
Quote examples
Georgina Campbell
English Actress
We've always had a sadistic obsession with technology.
Quote examples
Patrick Marber
English Writer
Great comedy is always sadistic.
Quote examples
Morten Tyldum
Norwegian Director
I don't know if it's a sadistic side or whatever, but you take characters and put them in really awful situations and make them go through that. And it's very satisfying as a director to explore that, to tell those stories and to explore those themes, because it is so human.
Quote examples
George Orwell
British Author
Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting.
Quote examples
Gene Ween
American Musician
Most of our fans seem to be very intelligent people who don't stand out too much, but they're still total freaks. I like that - they're smart and sadistic, which I think is a reflection at us.
Quote examples
Jack Hemingway
My father was a fun-loving person, not the evil, sadistic, macho, woman-hating guy that comes through in some of the biographies.
Quote examples
Julie Plec
American Producer
I think, make it as beautiful as you can, and then rip it away. That's my sadistic thought as a storyteller.
Quote examples
Marie Curie
Polish Scientist
There are sadistic scientists who hurry to hunt down errors instead of establishing the truth.
Quote examples
Woody Allen
American Director
I'd call him a sadistic, hippophilic necrophile, but that would be beating a dead horse.
Quote examples
Alan K. Simpson
American Politician
You were doing a sadistic little disservice to your country.
Quote examples
Georgina Campbell
English Actress
We've always had a sadistic obsession with technology.
Quote examples
Patrick Marber
English Writer
Great comedy is always sadistic.
Example 1 of 10
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