Find Synonyms

sadism Synonyms

Another word for sadism

Choosing another word for sadism depends on context, so the synonyms and similar words below are separated across 2 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
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• noun (Context 1)

Deliberate, callous cruelty or enjoyment taken in causing distress or hardship to others in everyday life.

Usage Example

"The students joked that scheduling a three-hour exam on a Friday afternoon was an act of pure cruelty."

Strong
cruelty
callousness
heartlessness
barbarity
malice
viciousness

• noun (Context 2)

The tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others.

Usage Example

"The psychiatric evaluation examined the offender's history of extreme cruelty and clinical cruelty."

Strong
cruelty
brutality

Opposites of sadism

The opposite of sadism shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:

masochism
kindness
benevolence
mercy
compassion
empathy
humanity
See all opposites of sadism

• Nearby Words

saddler
saddlery
sadie
sadism
sadist
sadistic
sadistically

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Sadism. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/sadism
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