Sadistic — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /sə-ˈdi-stik/ sa·dis·tic

Meaning & Definition of Sadistic

Sadistic (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or characterized by sadism, taking pleasure in the infliction of pain, punishment, or humiliation on others

Sadistic (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

    "the troubled youth is being treated by a psychotherapist for his sadistic urges to hurt animals"

    similar: atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, cruel, fiendish, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, savage, truculent, vicious, wanton, red in tooth and claw
    related: hard-hearted, ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted, unfeeling, fell, ferocious, grim, bloodthirsty, cutthroat, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine, catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vindictive, draconian, draconic, hardhanded, harsh, heavy-handed, oppressive
    opposite: benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted
    near: tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying, pacific, peaceable, peaceful

Related Entry: Sadism (noun)

Sadism is a different word from Sadistic. The synonyms below are for sadism, not for sadistic.

  1. disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others

    "a troubled youth with a streak of sadism in him"

    similar: atrociousness, atrocity, barbarity, barbarousness, brutality, cruelness, cruelty, fiendishness, heartlessness, inhumanity, inhumanness, savageness, savagery, truculence, viciousness, wantonness
    related: hard-heartedness, mercilessness, pitilessness, ruthlessness, unfeelingness, fellness, ferociousness, ferocity, fierceness, grimness, bloodlust, bloodthirstiness, murderousness, sanguineness, sanguinity, cattiness, despitefulness, hatefulness, malevolence, maliciousness, malignity, meanness, nastiness, spitefulness, hardhandedness, harshness, heavy-handedness, oppressiveness
    opposite: benignity, compassion, good-heartedness, humaneness, humanity, kindheartedness, kindness, sympathy, tenderheartedness
    near: tenderness, warmheartedness, warmness, warmth, charitableness, clemency, leniency, mercifulness, mercy, pity

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sadistic

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sadistic:

atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, cruel, fiendish, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, savage, truculent, vicious, wanton, red in tooth and claw

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sadistic

Words with the opposite meaning of Sadistic:

benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted

Related Words for Sadistic

hard-hearted, ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted, unfeeling, fell, ferocious, grim, bloodthirsty, cutthroat, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine, catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vindictive, draconian, draconic, hardhanded, harsh

Near Antonyms of Sadistic

tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying, pacific, peaceable, peaceful

Word Forms of Sadistic

Derived words: sadistically (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Sadistic

First known use: 1892

Frequently Asked Questions about Sadistic

What does "Sadistic" mean?

"Sadistic" means of, relating to, or characterized by sadism, taking pleasure in the infliction of pain, punishment, or humiliation on others. As an adjective, it is defined as: of, relating to, or characterized by sadism, taking pleasure in the infliction of pain, punishment, or humiliation on others.

What is another word for "Sadistic"?

Other words for "Sadistic" include atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, cruel and fiendish. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sadistic" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sadistic"?

There are 48 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sadistic". Common alternatives include atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, cruel, fiendish, heartless and inhuman.

What is the opposite of "Sadistic"?

Antonyms of "Sadistic" include benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted and sympathetic. Near antonyms include tender, warm, warmhearted and charitable.

How do you use "Sadistic" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sadistic" in a sentence: "the troubled youth is being treated by a psychotherapist for his sadistic urges to hurt animals".

Is "Sadistic" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Sadistic" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Sadistic"?

"Sadistic" is pronounced /sə-ˈdi-stik/ and divided into syllables as sa·dis·tic.

What is the origin of the word "Sadistic"?

First known use: 1892.