schadenfreude
nounstandard /ˈʃɑː.dənˌfɹɔɪ.də/
Etymology 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).
1
Usually Malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune; counterempathy.
- 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:
- 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:
- Derived terms
- schadenfreuder, schadenfreudian
- Related terms
- burn, baby, burn, dance on someone's grave, glee, gloating