Word – Schadenfreude

Schadenfreude – Word of the Day

Meaning:

Pleasure derived by someone from someone else’s misfortune or pain.

Origin:

While we commonly use this word in English, it is actually borrowed from German. It is a compound of two words: schaden(meaning “harm”), and freude(meaning “joy”) giving it a literal meaning ‘harmful joy’. 

Usage:

1. I couldn’t resist a bit of schadenfreude when my biggest rival was busted for drug possession.
2. My schadenfreude did not last long, though. Soon after my rival was arrested, the police were hot on my heels, and I had to go underground.
3. Imagine my schadenfreude, when I learned that my coworker had been fired because she had faked her law license.
4. I felt a huge wave of schadenfreude wash over me, as I saw my cheating ex-girlfriend’s house burn down.
5. The American president’s slip up at the gala dinner elicited a great deal of schadenfreude from news outlets all over the world.
6. Contrary to popular belief, prison guards are not motivated by any sense of schadenfreude. 
7. The Russians were enjoying the schadenfreude as they saw the invading German army suffer in the harsh Russian winter.
8. The Republicans were feeling a certain schadenfreude after Donald Trump became the president.
9. Rachel was experiencing great schadenfreude as Monica’s cosmetic surgery went horribly wrong.