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 of sadistic

• brutal
• cruel
• vicious
• savage
• ruthless

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

In her telling, the literature of the past lays traps into which the rich and powerful, the boorish and sadistic, inevitably stumble. —Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026

Fascism became fashionable for a time, even if it was rooted in self-grandiosity, narcissistic grievance, and sadistic vengeance. —Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026

Knoxville and his merry band of delightfully sadistic goons are back for one possibly final rodeo. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026

The devastating, almost sadistic hold Ruben exerts over the mostly masochistic Niall is gripping — but hard — to watch. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sadistic

• artistic
• autistic
• ballistic
• cladistic
• heuristic
• holistic
• linguistic
• logistic
• monistic
• patristic
• simplistic
• sophistic