sadistic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He said a whole-life tariff could only be given in sadistic or sexual cases, those involving abduction or a high level of premeditation.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

And no wonder: You needn’t work at a fashion magazine to relate to having a sadistic boss like Meryl Streep’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 29, 2025

“Huck Finn” was the apotheosis of Twain’s gift for truth-telling, as he exposed the sadistic oppression of Black people and made the slave Jim the hero.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2025

Starring Mads Mikkelsen, the movie portrays the stoic battle of a taciturn, retired army captain in the mid-18th century as he tries to tame the hostile Jutland landscape and outwit an evil, sadistic local aristocratic.

From Reuters • Sep. 1, 2023

And there are a lot of sadistic head teachers about.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein