sadistic
adjective
sa·dis·tic
sə-ˈdi-stik 
also sā-,
or sa-
: of, relating to, or characterized by sadism
sadistic fantasies
: taking pleasure in the infliction of pain, punishment, or humiliation on others
a leg … sawed off in sections by a sadistic surgeon—
The New Yorker
The New YorkerFor my 41st birthday, an especially sadistic buddy gave me a video of me falling off my skateboard nearly 160 times.—Bret Anthony Johnston
Bret Anthony Johnston
sadistically
adverb
… in a gangster story realism requires that the hoods kill each other off and do so sadistically.
—Robert F. Moss
Robert F. Moss
Examples of sadistic in a Sentence
the troubled youth is being treated by a psychotherapist for his sadistic urges to hurt animals
Recent Examples on the Web
Hotel Fear is very difficult viewing, and the film’s treatment of Rosa borders on the sadistic.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025
MacLeod inevitably winds up facing off against the Kurgan (Clancy Brown), a sadistic and otherwise nameless warrior who has been hunting other immortals for centuries.
—Michileen Martin, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
But this version, more sadistic than the last, still didn't satisfy.
—ArsTechnica, 14 June 2025
The sadistic and trigger-happy Mr. Blonde was one of the 400 nominees for the American Film Institute's list of the all-time greatest movie villains.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
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Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025
MacLeod inevitably winds up facing off against the Kurgan (Clancy Brown), a sadistic and otherwise nameless warrior who has been hunting other immortals for centuries.
—Michileen Martin, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
But this version, more sadistic than the last, still didn't satisfy.
—ArsTechnica, 14 June 2025
The sadistic and trigger-happy Mr. Blonde was one of the 400 nominees for the American Film Institute's list of the all-time greatest movie villains.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sadistic
Cite this Entry
“Sadistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sadistic. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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