schadenfreude

noun

scha·​den·​freu·​de ˈshä-dᵊn-ˌfrȯi-də 

often capitalized

: enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others

Did you know?

Schadenfreude is a combination of the German nouns Schaden, meaning "damage" or "harm," and Freude, meaning "joy." So it makes sense that schadenfreude means joy over some harm or misfortune suffered by another.

Examples of schadenfreude in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Regardless of the true motive behind Thompson's death, this flood of schadenfreude must serve as a wake-up call for both the insurance industry and policymakers. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

In part, public reactions reflected how social media often rewards expressions of schadenfreude or the feeling of satisfaction when another person struggles. —Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 2024

It’s not lost on Calloway that there’s a certain schadenfreude or a grim morbidity from people online watching her post, that much of this attention was glibly predicated on her possible demise. —Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

The bottom line: The market gets shy around any key level, but a lot of people have wanted bitcoin to reach this one for a long time — if only for the schadenfreude. —Brady Dale, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

German, from Schaden damage + Freude joy

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!