sadismsa‧dis‧m /ˈseɪdɪzəm/ noun [uncountable] 
Word Origin
There seemed to be an element of sadism in the training regime.2when someone gets sexual pleasure from hurting someone → masochism
Word OriginWORD ORIGINsadism
ExamplesOrigin:
1800-1900 French sadisme, from the Marquis de Sade (1740-1814), French writer who described cruel sexual practicesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Sadism may stem from a desire to dominate.
- He looked grim as he recalled the sadism of the prison guards.
- Mzukwa grew quiet as he recalled the brutality and sadism of the prison guards.
- But sadism, as we have noticed, in intensifying awareness also distorts it.
- Compared to his adulthood of sadism, cruelty and murder, his childhood of abuse and rejection looks benign.
- Not a matter of sadism but rather convenience, as there were neither contingencies nor facilities for prisoners here.
- There is a streak of sadism in his performance which leads us to expect an answering streak of masochism in Katherine.
- This scene was criticised for its accusation of sadism by the Viet Cong in a form which was unsupported by any evidence.
- This would make the link between sadism and masochism more clear.
Longman Language Activatorcruel behaviour► cruelty
1behaviour in which someone gets pleasure from hurting other people or making them suffer → masochism: cruel treatment or behaviour: · What kind of person could treat a fellow human being with such cruelty?· Her black eye and bruises were undeniable evidence of his cruelty.cruelty to: · Burnett has campaigned against cruelty to animals for more than 20 years.
► abuse deliberately cruel treatment of someone, especially someone in your family that you are supposed to care for: · Doctors believed that there was no evidence of abuse, despite the woman's claims.child abuse (=cruel treatment of children): · There has been an increase in the number of cases of child abuse.sexual abuse (=when someone forces another person to take part in sexual activities): · a victim of sexual abuse
► bullying cruel treatment of someone who is smaller, younger, or weaker - use this especially about children being cruel to other children: · The government has become involved in the effort to solve the problem of bullying in schools.
► mistreatment/ill-treatment/maltreatment cruel treatment of people or animals, especially those you have some control over: · There can be no good reason for the ill-treatment of factory-farm animals.· Jailers singled out certain prisoners for maltreatment.· There can be no excuse for the mistreatment of people seeking asylum in this country.
► persecution cruel treatment of people because of their religious or political beliefs, or because of the race they belong to: · Many Jews fled to America to escape persecution in Europe.· Katya asked the United States to protect her from persecution in her home country.persecution of: · the relentless persecution of American Communists in the 1950s
► atrocities extremely cruel and shocking actions against people, especially during a war: · Survivors from the concentration camps had witnessed unspeakable atrocities.commit atrocities: · Retreating soldiers told stories of awful atrocities committed by the enemy.
► sadism taking pleasure in cruel acts: · Sadism may stem from a desire to dominate.· Mzukwa grew quiet as he recalled the brutality and sadism of the prison guards.
► inhumanity cruelty that includes violence and a complete lack of sympathy for people's suffering: · Reformists were appalled by the immorality and inhumanity of the slave trade.· The novel focuses on the inhumanity of prisons and labour camps.
WORD SETS► Psychology/Psychiatryagoraphobia, nounagoraphobic, noun-aholic, suffixanalyse, verbanalysis, nounanalyst, nounanorexia, nounantidepressant, nounautism, nounbattle fatigue, nounbehaviourism, nounbreakdown, nounbulimia, nouncatharsis, nouncertify, verbclaustrophobia, nouncognition, nouncognitive, adjectivecomplex, nouncompulsive, adjectivecounsel, verbcounselling, nouncrazed, adjectivecrazy, adjectivedefence mechanism, noundelusion, noundemented, adjectivedementia, noundenial, noundepressed, adjectivedepression, noundepressive, adjectivedepressive, nounderanged, adjectivediminished responsibility, noundipsomaniac, noundisordered, adjectivedisturbance, noundysfunctional, adjectiveeating disorder, nouneccentricity, nounego, nounelectric shock therapy, nounemotional, adjectiveexhibitionism, nounextra-sensory perception, nounfixation, nounFreudian, adjectiveFreudian slip, noungroup therapy, nounhallucinate, verbhydrophobia, nounhypnosis, nounhypnotic, adjectivehypnotise, verbhypnotist, nounhypnotize, verbid, nouninferiority complex, nouninsane, adjectiveinsanity, nounkleptomania, nounkleptomaniac, nounlibido, nounlinear, adjectivemaladjusted, adjectivemania, nounmanic, adjectivemanic depression, nounmanic depressive, nounmental, adjectivemental age, nounmental hospital, nounmentally handicapped, adjectivemidlife crisis, nounmisogynist, nounmixed up, adjectivenerve, nounnervous, adjectivenervous breakdown, nounnervous system, nounneural, adjectiveneuro-, prefixneurology, nounneurosis, nounneurotic, adjectiveobsessive, nounoedipal, adjectiveOedipus complex, nounpadded cell, nounparanoia, nounparanoid, adjectivepathological, adjectivepathology, nounpatterning, nounphallic, adjectivephobia, noun-phobia, suffixphrenology, nounpost-traumatic stress disorder, nounprecognition, nounpsyche, nounpsychiatric, adjectivepsychiatrist, nounpsychiatry, nounpsychic, adjectivepsycho, nounpsycho-, prefixpsychoanalysis, nounpsychoanalyst, nounpsychoanalyze, verbpsychobabble, nounpsychodrama, nounpsychokinesis, nounpsychological, adjectivepsychologist, nounpsychology, nounpsychopath, nounpsychosis, nounpsychosomatic, adjectivepsychotherapy, nounpsychotic, adjectivepyromaniac, nounrepression, nounresidential treatment facility, nounRorschach test, nounsadism, nounsadist, nounsafety valve, nounsanity, nounscar, nounscar, verbschizoid, adjectiveschizophrenia, nounschizophrenic, adjectiveschizophrenic, nounscrewed up, adjectivesocialize, verbsociopath, nounsplit personality, nounsubconscious, adjectivesubconscious, nounsuggestion, nounsuperego, nountherapy, nountorment, nountrance, nountrauma, nounvoyeur, nounwell-adjusted, adjective
There seemed to be an element of sadism in the training regime.2when someone gets sexual pleasure from hurting someone → masochism