psychopathy

noun

psy·​chop·​a·​thy sī-ˈkä-pə-thē How to pronounce psychopathy (audio)
plural psychopathies
: mental disorder especially when marked by egocentric and antisocial activity, a lack of remorse for one's actions, an absence of empathy for others, and often criminal tendencies

Examples of psychopathy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
My manic episodes are, of course, a manifestation of my own particular psychopathy. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026 Worse yet, the researchers found that AI brain rot brought out an LLM’s darkest traits, including higher rates of psychopathy and narcissism. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025 Traits like humility, creativity, and kindness are amplified by psychedelics, as are the dark triad traits, such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. — Erica Rex, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026 Diagnosis with psychopathy is recognized as one of the strongest indicators of persistent violent behavior. — Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for psychopathy

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of psychopathy was in 1847

Rhymes for psychopathy

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Browse Nearby Words

psychopathology
psychopathy
psychopharmacology
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Cite this Entry

“Psychopathy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychopathy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

psychopathy

noun
psy·​chop·​a·​thy sī-ˈkäp-ə-thē How to pronounce psychopathy (audio)
plural psychopathies
1
: mental disorder especially when marked by egocentric and antisocial activity, a lack of remorse for one's actions, an absence of empathy for others, and criminal tendencies
2
especially formerly : antisocial personality
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