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

For my 41st birthday, an especially sadistic buddy gave me a video of me falling off my skateboard nearly 160 times.

—Bret Anthony Johnston

sadistically

sə-ˈdi-sti-k(ə-)lē 

 also  sā-

 or  sa-

adverb

… in a gangster story realism requires that the hoods kill each other off and do so sadistically.

—Robert F. Moss

Synonyms

• atrocious
• barbaric
• barbarous
• brutal
• brute
• butcherly
• cruel
• fiendish
• heartless
• inhuman
• inhumane
• savage
• truculent
• vicious
• wanton

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

What's worse, being infected by a sadistic demonic entity that feeds off its victims' trauma or the crushing loneliness of superstardom? —Megan McCluskey, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024

This time, inspiration came from English writer H.G. Wells, whose sci-fi novel The Invisible Man — about a penniless researcher whose experiments in invisibility unlock a sadistic side to his personality — has become one of the all-time genre greats. —Katie Rife, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024

Where to watch: Netflix 'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986) Come for the great tunes and unlikely romance between flower-store co-workers, stay for a soul-singing, man-eating plant from another planet – plus Steve Martin's sadistic dentist – in the cult musical based on the off-Broadway show. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024

The campaign ad contrasts the sadistic Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, who Trump compares to himself, with modern military-service members dancing in drag. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 15 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above