How to Use psychopathy in a Sentence

psychopathy

noun
  • There are so many pieces of psychopathy that are manifested in the shape of a toaster.
    — New York Times, 20 July 2022
  • Seeing psychopathy through this different lens opened new doors to researchers.
    — David Adam, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023
  • About a quarter showed signs of depression and psychopathy — that is, hopelessness combined with a lack of remorse.
    — Benedict Carey, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2016
  • Still, researchers stress that a callous child—even one who was born that way—is not automatically destined for psychopathy.
    — Barbara Bradley Hagerty, The Atlantic, 16 May 2017
  • Participants could reliably spot high narcissism in both men and women, and high psychopathy in men.
    — Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
  • Some even want to reclaim and rehabilitate the concept of psychopathy itself.
    — David Adam, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023
  • But a closer look reveals that yawn contagion did not correlate with the overall measure of psychopathy but rather with one of three submeasures.
    — Daniel Engber, Slate Magazine, 2 Mar. 2017
  • While not all psychopaths become serial killers, many serial killers possess attributes of psychopathy.
    — Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 19 Mar. 2021
  • These images were created by blending the faces of real people who had scored very high or very low on traits like psychopathy, narcissism, or agreeableness.
    — Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
  • There is still a lot to be learned about these traits and the select few who embody the truest clinical expressions of sociopathy, psychopathy, or narcissism.
    — Talkspace, Teen Vogue, 23 Oct. 2017
  • She was obsessed with willpower, seemed to view psychopathy as liberational and aspirational, and claimed mind control.
    — Aja Romano, Vox, 24 Feb. 2025
  • My manic episodes are, of course, a manifestation of my own particular psychopathy.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Many are walking among us, leading completely normal lives, and are even some of the most successful members of society, precisely because of their psychopathy.
    — Xanthe Mallett, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2018
  • Like many serious collectors of arcane but precious objects, Smith could be irascible, mean, and single-minded to the point of psychopathy.
    — Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2020
  • Caped Crusader pays homage to this creepy appearance, fitting him into a collection of foes that straddle the line between colorful costumes and psychopathy.
    — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 July 2024
  • Researchers found that individuals with high levels of psychopathy and narcissism are especially inclined towards this form of cheating.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
  • People may also refer to these as characteristics of a sociopath or psychopath, but sociopathy and psychopathy are not official diagnoses. Check with a healthcare provider for an official diagnosis of ASPD—and know that professional mental health support is available to cope with the outcome.
    — Cristina Mutchler, Health, 21 June 2023
  • Research shows that internet trolls tend to display personality traits like sadism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism.
    — German Lopez, Vox, 5 June 2018
  • Sociopathy and psychopathy are often used interchangeably in clinical settings.
    — Talkspace, Teen Vogue, 23 Oct. 2017
  • McAvoy’s gift for a rictus grin and a swaggering machismo that eases you into feeling comfortable, only to twist on a 180 into pure psychopathy, is well-played here.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2024
  • 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
  • Hopkins leans into the psychopathy of the character, making Sir John’s villain monologue and eventual showdown with Lawrence more campy than tragic.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Hawkins knows exactly how to play Laura’s cheery psychopathy and cunning cruelties, and Wong, in her first film role, gives Piper a spirited independence.
    — Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • Sandra Oh) is a very mid-level British intelligence operative with a side interest in criminal psychopathy.
    — Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2022
  • However, the analysis also showed that certain traits associated with psychopathy were perceived as slightly positive for men, but negative for women.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 Oct. 2018
  • Oates tips her hand far too early and makes her heroine not just naïve and vulnerable but downright nuts, because YK’s psychopathy and her extreme peril in his company are evident almost from the outset.
    — Pricilla Gilman, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2022
  • 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
  • Criminal versatility—committing different types of crimes in different settings—can also hint at future psychopathy.
    — Barbara Bradley Hagerty, The Atlantic, 16 May 2017
  • Murphy used the data on personality from the previous study and used it to calculate a new score based on personality traits that indicated psychopathy, according to Quartz.
    — Scott Berson, miamiherald, 19 June 2018
  • There are guns, horses, ghosts, a primal struggle for survival in hostile terrain, family feuds and a steadily intensifying sense of mortal threat, as Old Porch’s ambition and psychopathy escalate the drama.
    — Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'psychopathy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: