Malevolent
Malevolent adjective - Having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it.
Sadistic and malevolent are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Sadistic" instead an adjective "Malevolent".
Nearby Words: malevolence, malevolently
Sadistic
Sadistic adjective - Having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others.
Usage example: the troubled youth is being treated by a psychotherapist for his sadistic urges to hurt animals
Malevolent and sadistic are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Malevolent" instead an adjective "Sadistic".
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Both words in one sentence
- In the case of Selfridge, He likely was simply indifferent to the Na'vi, as many real-world humans are to animals, without being malevolent or sadistic.
- Dis Acedia has Lazarus, a malevolent and sadistic god of magic abducting people to the titular maze.
Source: Big Bad / Web Original -
He then finds a mosquito, which with sadistic and malevolent glee, he swats and kills with his hand.
Cite this Source
Sadistic and Malevolent. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 08, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/malevolent/sadistic
Malevolent & Sadistic. N.p., 2016. Web. 08 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/malevolent/sadistic>.
Sadistic or Malevolent. 2016. Accessed August 08, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/malevolent/sadistic.
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