schadenfreude

noun

scha·den·freu·de ˈshä-dᵊn-ˌfrȯi-də

often capitalized

: enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others

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Ever a popular lookup on our site, schadenfreude refers to the joy you might feel at another person’s pain. It’s a compound of the German nouns Schaden, meaning “damage,” and Freude, meaning “joy.” Schadenfreude was a favored subject in Germany by the time it was introduced to English in the mid-1800s; discussed by the likes of Schopenhauer, Kant, and Nietzsche, schadenfreude was showing up in psychology books, literature for children, and critical theory. In English, the word was used mostly by academics until the early 1990s, when it was introduced to more general audiences via pop culture. In a 1991 episode of The Simpsons, for example, Lisa explains schadenfreude to Homer, who is gloating at his neighbor’s failure; she also tells him that the opposite of schadenfreude is sour grapes. “Boy,” he marvels, “those Germans have a word for everything.”

Examples of schadenfreude in a Sentence

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In the competitive scenario, participants felt more schadenfreude and need satisfaction than in non-competitive circumstances. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025 The viral moment and its professional and personal fallout, Schwartz said, prompted reactions ranging from amusement and fascination to, for those who've been involved in similar circumstances, schadenfreude and relief. —Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025 Hangman Adam Page, Bryan Danielson, Toni Storm Genre: Sports Entertainment Of all the various competition shows that Food Network broadcasts, Worst Cooks In America has the best schadenfreude factor. —PC Magazine, 25 July 2025 The schadenfreude of watching her tear into someone who was refusing to take responsibility was a big factor. —Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for schadenfreude