Word
schadenfreude
Meanings
pleasure or satisfaction from another person’s misfortune
Definition
Schadenfreude is pleasure or amusement felt when someone else has trouble or bad luck.
Schadenfreude is the feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing another person fail, suffer, or be embarrassed. It often happens when the other person seems arrogant or unfair, but it can also appear in small everyday situations. Many people feel it briefly and then feel guilty, because it is not considered kind.
Examples
- I felt a flash of schadenfreude when he bragged all week and then missed the deadline.
- Her schadenfreude disappeared when she saw how upset he was.
- There’s something ugly about schadenfreude, even when it feels natural.
- He laughed out of pure schadenfreude when his rival slipped on the icy sidewalk.
Common mistake
Learners often misspell schadenfreude or pronounce the middle like “shade,” but it starts with a “sh” sound: /ˈʃɑːdənˌfrɔɪdə/.
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