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Definition of «schadenfreude»

Schadenfreude is a German term that means taking pleasure in other people's misfortune. It is a complex emotion, often associated with feelings of satisfaction or happiness when someone experiences negative events or setbacks. Schadenfreude can be triggered by various factors such as envy, resentment, or simply the desire to see others fail. While it is a common human experience, schadenfreude is generally considered an unhealthy and immoral emotion that reflects poorly on one's character.

Usage examples

  1. I couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude when I saw my ex's new relationship fall apart.
  2. The disgraced politician's downfall was met with widespread schadenfreude among his critics.
  3. Despite knowing it was wrong, I couldn't suppress a feeling of schadenfreude when my competitive coworker failed to meet his sales target.
  4. Social media seems to encourage people to indulge in schadenfreude, as we often see viral videos of people embarrassing themselves or getting hurt.
  5. Rather than feeling sympathy, some people experience schadenfreude when celebrities face public humiliation or personal crises.
  6. The rival team's defeat brought about a collective outburst of schadenfreude among our supporters.
  7. It's essential to rise above schadenfreude and offer genuine empathy when someone is going through a tough time.
  8. While social conventions urge us to avoid schadenfreude, it is a common human emotion that we all experience at some point.
  9. The tabloid magazines thrive on readers' desire for schadenfreude, feeding them with stories of celebrity misfortunes.
  10. Despite being friends, there was a hint of schadenfreude in his tone when he heard about my project's failure.

Sentences with «schadenfreude»

  • The company's food - safety troubles have provoked quite a bit of schadenfreude in the rest of the food industry. (npr.org)
  • There is a lot of schadenfreude in the air as the lawsuits fly and everyone piles on with everything they have ever hated about LEED, including the bike racks. (treehugger.com)
  • Then this is the World Series of Schadenfreude for you. (sbnation.com)
  • (see all sentences)

See also

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