SADISM Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

sadism

noun

ˈsā-ˌdi-zəm

Definition of sadism

as in cruelty

disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others a troubled youth with a streak of sadism in him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of sadism Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026 While often associated with extreme behavior, sub-clinical sadism manifests in more mundane ways, such as internet trolling or a fascination with violent video games. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Feb. 2026 The series begins before Gein has ever killed, in 1945, as dawning awareness of death camps in Europe fills the air with sadism and conspiracy thinking. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025 The invading parasite is a culture of hate and paranoia and sadism — mass hysteria as sanctioned by the government that is supposed to protect you. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sadism

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadism

Noun

Law enforcement sources involved in the case told WJZ that the horse was being cared for by someone who is facing animal cruelty and abandonment charges in an unrelated case in West Virginia.

— Tara Lynch, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
The real problem is the culture, and when culture rewards cruelty, the damage spreads.

— Jodi Bondi Norgaard, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of cruelty

Noun

The army Mladic created to fight in Bosnia was a model of ruthlessness, daring and brutality in the Serb warrior tradition, once prized in the life-or-death partisan struggle against the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia in World War Two.

— Ivana Sekularac, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Freya is the granddaughter of Athos — a dog who survived the Russian brutality in Bucha and was found on the street where Ukrainian forces destroyed a large Russian convoy, Danylchenko told the Associated Press in an interview.

— Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of brutality

Browse Nearby Words

saddling

sadism

sadistic

See all Nearby Words

Articles Related to sadism

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadism. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of sadism

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

What is the difference between a...

Eponyms: Words Named After Real People

Who gave 'ritzy' all that style?

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on sadism

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gumption

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes