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

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Recent Examples of sadism Chiarella takes time between bouts of danger to show affection and intimacy that, in defiance of teen-slasher formula, isn’t immediately penalized with sadism. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 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 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 An extra-dark comedy that veers toward sadism, the film is saved by the chemistry and star power of Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas (fresh off their Romancing the Stone series), with an assist from an excellent Danny DeVito. — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sadism

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sadism

Noun

According to the Sheriff’s Office, a judge released Cruz on his own recognizance June 4 following his arraignment on felony animal cruelty charges in Sacramento Superior Court.

— Velvet Wu July 1, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
At one point, the narrator, embarrassed by his own act of cruelty, gives a sobbing woman all his money and then leaves her alone in a hotel room.

— Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 1 July 2026

Definition of cruelty

Noun

Lee learned much about the systemic oppression that Black Americans faced from his first student, Jesse Glover, who had been a victim of police brutality.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
These early precedents in fictional brutality also weaken Thomson’s next point, about literature’s superiority.

— Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026

Definition of brutality

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saddling

sadism

sadistic

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“Sadism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sadism. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of sadism

noun

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