psychopath

noun

psy·​cho·​path ˈsī-kə-ˌpath 

ˈsī-kō-

: a mentally unstable person

especially : a person having an egocentric and antisocial personality marked by a lack of remorse for one's actions, an absence of empathy for others, and often criminal tendencies

Synonyms

• bug
• crackbrain
• crazy
• fool
• fruitcake
• head case
• loon
• loony
• lunatic
• maniac
• nut
• nutcase
• nutter [British slang]
• psycho
• sickie
• sicko
• wacko
• whacko

Examples of psychopath in a Sentence

declared that he was a dangerous psychopath

Recent Examples on the Web

The first introduced the audience to the cast of the film: Sally Hawkins, playing a kindly foster mother who — as Danny introduced her — might be a psychopath, Billy Barratt and Sora Wong as her two new foster kids, and Jonah Wren Phillips as her younger, troubled foster son. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 Mar. 2025

In separate filings, the defense is also asking the court to limit the use of the words murder, psychopath and sociopath. —Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025

As villains go, Brody was a teddy bear compared to the gout-stricken, carnal-minded, capricious psychopath Lewis plays here on the English throne. —Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025

Everyone’s favorite serial killer psychopath Joe Goldberg is back for one last killing spree — and maybe, finally, a bit of justice — in the new trailer for the fifth and final season of You, which premieres on April 24 on Netflix. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for psychopath

• aftermath
• multipath
• bloodbath
• footpath
• towpath
• warpath
• hath
• lath
• math
• path
• rath
• spath

Kids Definition

psychopath

noun

psy·​cho·​path ˈsī-kə-ˌpath 

: a mentally ill or unstable person

especially : one who does not feel guilty about not living up to normal social and moral responsibilities and exhibits a disregard for the feelings and safety of others

Medical Definition

psychopath

noun

psy·​cho·​path ˈsī-kə-ˌpath 

1

: a person having an egocentric and antisocial personality marked by a lack of remorse for one's actions, an absence of empathy for others, and often criminal tendencies

2

formerly : a person with antisocial personality disorder