masochistic

adjective

mas·​och·​is·​tic ˌma-sə-ˈki-stik 

ˌma-zə-,

 also  ˌmā-

1

: of or relating to masochism : deriving sexual gratification from being subjected to physical pain or humiliation

… suggests that children whose parents spanked, slapped, hit or threw objects at them may have a greater chance of physically or verbally coercing a sexual partner, engaging in risky sexual behavior or engaging in masochistic sex, including sexual arousal by spanking.

—Sharon Jayson

2

: gaining pleasure from pain and suffering

… a physically daring scene that might give even the most masochistic stuntperson pause.

—Steve Daly

It may seem masochistic to devote one's life to the pursuit of a vanishing asset.

—Robert O. Paxton

masochistically

ˌma-sə-ˈki-sti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌma-zə-

 also  ˌmā-

adverb

… certain maddening folks who go through life masochistically seeking to be disillusioned and disappointed.

—Daniel Seligman

Examples of masochistic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the IndieWire team, this masochistic exercise was born from our denial that the series from showrunner Paul Simms will end its run with Season 6, which premiered on October 21 with three episodes. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2024

Female masochism recalls the passive condition of infancy—having things done to one’s body, like it or not—and on another account, stems from social conditioning: women must repress aggressive impulses, which then morph into masochistic fantasies turned inward toward the self. —Sue Taylor, ARTnews.com, 31 July 2024

The show told the story of a fading pop star, played by Lily-Rose Depp, who becomes ensnared in a masochistic relationship with cult leader Tedros, played by The Weeknd. —Kim Masters, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 July 2024

And while swimming, even distance swimming, is hardly monotonous, the longer races have a masochistic side to them. —Andrew Trunsky, New York Times, 8 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

masochist + -ic entry 1, after German masochistisch

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1