Word
sociopath
Meanings
A person who repeatedly disregards other people’s rights and emotions and behaves in deceitful, irresponsible, or harmful ways.
An insulting, informal label for someone perceived as cold, cruel, or lacking remorse.
Definition
A sociopath is a person who persistently ignores other people’s rights and feelings and may behave in manipulative or harmful ways.
A sociopath is someone who shows a long-term pattern of disregard for social rules and for other people’s feelings or safety. They may lie easily, act impulsively, and manipulate others for personal gain. In everyday English, the word is often used informally to describe a person seen as unusually cruel or remorseless, though it is not a precise clinical label.
Examples
- I stopped trusting him after he lied so smoothly that everyone else thought I was overreacting, and I wondered if he was a sociopath.
- You shouldn’t diagnose strangers, but when someone shows zero remorse after hurting people, it’s understandable to think, “Is that person a sociopath?”
- She described her ex as a sociopath because he manipulated her friends against her and never admitted fault.
- They called the character a sociopath, not because of one mistake, but because he repeatedly exploited others and seemed proud of it.
Common mistake
Learners often use sociopath as a clinical diagnosis in casual situations, when it is usually better to describe the specific behavior (e.g., “manipulative” or “cruel”).
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