Word of the Day : February 5, 2022

schadenfreude

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noun SHAH-dun-froy-duh

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What It Means

Schadenfreude is the enjoyment obtained from the troubles of other people.

// Schadenfreude was felt by many viewers when the arrogant contestant was voted off the show.

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schadenfreude in Context

"A glaring subplot in all this is that Jim Harbaugh has never beaten Ohio State in five tries as the Michigan coach, a continuous source of frustration among Wolverines fans and gleeful schadenfreude in Columbus." — Mitch Stacy,The Associated Press, 21 Nov. 2021

Did You Know?

Schadenfreude is a combination of the German nouns Schaden, meaning "damage" or "harm," and Freude, meaning "joy." So it makes sense that schadenfreude means joy over some harm or misfortune suffered by another.