schadenfreude en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈʃɑː.dənˌfɹɔɪd/ (standard)
- shäʹdənfroidə (standard)
- /ˈʃɑː.dənˌfɹɔɪ.də/ (standard)
- shäʹdənfroid (standard)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *skaþô Proto-West Germanic *skaþō Old High German skado Middle High German schade German Schaden Proto-Indo-European *prew-der. Proto-Germanic *frawazder. Proto-Germanic *frawiþō Old High German frewida Middle High German vröude German Freude German Schadenfreudeubor. English schadenfreude An unadapted borrowing from German Schadenfreude (“joy in the misfortune of others”), from Schaden (“damage, misfortune”) + Freude (“joy”). The word gained popularity in English in the late 20th c. and likely entered mainstream usage through an episode of The Simpsons (more in citations).
Meanings
-
(uncountable, usually) Malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune; counterempathy.
In a 2012 study, Dr. Chambliss and her colleagues examined freudenfreude and schadenfreude scores among college students, some of whom were experiencing mild depression and some who weren’t. Freudenfreude scores were higher, and schadenfreude scores were lower, among those who were not depressed.
2022 November 25, Juli Fraga, “The Opposite of Schadenfreude Is Freudenfreude. Here’s How to Cultivate It.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 24 Mar 2023:But it is Schadenfreude, a mischievous delight in the misfortunes of others, which remains the worst trait in human nature.
1897, “Human Nature”, in Thomas Bailey Saunders, transl., The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer, translation of original by Arthur Schopenhauer:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| schadenfreudes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
naches · firgun · freudenfreude · confelicity
Deriveds
schadenfreuder · schadenfreudian
Relateds
gloating · burn, baby, burn · glee · dance on someone's grave
Synonyms
Translations (73)
grc ἐπιχαιρεκακία (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · tr şematet (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · es alegría maligna (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · da skadefryd (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · mk злорадост (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · nl schadenfreude (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · nl leedvermaak (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · id schadenfreude (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · bg злора́дство (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sq dashakeqësi (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sq smirë (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ko 고소하다 (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · mk сеир (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · pt Schadenfreude (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sh zluradost (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · gd àgh-truaighe (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sh злурадост (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · he שִׂמְחָה לְאֵיד (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ru злора́дство (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · yi שאָדנפֿרייד (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · is meinfýsni (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ko 샤덴프로이데 (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · nn skadefryd (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · fi vahingonilo (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sk škodoradosť (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ja メシウマ (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · cmn 幸災樂禍 /幸灾乐祸 (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · es schadenfreude (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · pl Schadenfreude (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ka ნიშნის მოგება (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · hi शाडन्फ़्रॉएड (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · es gozamiento del mal ajeno (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · hu káröröm (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · el χαιρεκακία (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · it aticofilia (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · gd àgh millteach (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · fr schadenfreude (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · es regodeo (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · eo difektoĝojo (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sh злорадoст (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · et kahjurõõm (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sh злyрад (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sv skadeglädje (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ar شَمَاتَة (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · cs škodolibost (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · nl schadevreugde (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sh zlurad (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · it gioia maligna (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · fr joie maligne (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · be злара́днасць (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · de Schadenfreude (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · vo badöfafred (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · es refocilación (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ja シャーデンフロイデ (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · is þórðargleði (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · yue 幸災樂禍 /幸灾乐祸 (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · nb skadefryd (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sq keqdashje (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sl škodoželje (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · uk зловті́ха (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · af leedvermaak (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · id susah melihat orang senang (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · gd aighear-truaighe (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ja 他人の不幸は蜜の味 (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · sh zloradost (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · id senang melihat orang susah (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ja 幸災楽禍 (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · gl ledicia do mal alleo (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · pt bem feito (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · es refocilo (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · es gozo morboso m satisfacción malévola (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · ko 쌤통 (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune) · es epicaricacía (malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune)