noun
schadenfreude
SHAH-duhn-froy-duh
Schadenfreude (noun) means the pleasure a person takes in someone else's misfortune. Example: “There was open schadenfreude in the newsroom when the rival paper folded.”
noun
1
The pleasure a person takes in someone else's misfortune.
"There was open schadenfreude in the newsroom when the rival paper folded."
"I felt a flicker of schadenfreude watching him fail his driving test after all that boasting."
How to use schadenfreude
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEnjoying it when something bad happens to someone else.
When to use it
Neutral to slightly literary; widely understood in English writing.
Memory tip
It is uncountable: say "felt some schadenfreude", not "felt a schadenfreude".
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a twinge of schadenfreude
pure schadenfreude
indulge in schadenfreude
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Fill the gap
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There was open _____ in the newsroom when the rival paper folded.
Etymology
From German Schaden "harm, damage" and Freude "joy".
Synonyms
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gloating
malicious glee
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for schadenfreude
See all rhymes for schadenfreude →Frequently asked questions
What is the opposite of schadenfreude?
The usual answer is the Buddhist term mudita, meaning joy at another person's happiness. English has no everyday single word for it, though compassion and sympathy cover the response to another's suffering.
Is schadenfreude capitalised in English?
No. All German nouns are capitalised in German, but words borrowed into English lose that, so write schadenfreude in lower case unless it starts a sentence.
What is the meaning of schadenfreude?
"schadenfreude" (noun) means the pleasure a person takes in someone else's misfortune.
What is another word for schadenfreude?
Other words for "schadenfreude" include gloating, malicious glee.
