Masochist

Simple meaning

In everyday speech, a masochist is someone who seems to actually enjoy — or willingly keeps choosing — something hard, uncomfortable, or unpleasant.

Detailed meaning

This word has a clinical background, but the way most people use it day to day is much lighter — it's a half-joking way to describe someone who keeps picking the harder, more painful, or more exhausting choice, almost as if they enjoy it.

The adjective form is masochistic ("a masochistic training schedule"), and the abstract noun is masochism ("there's a bit of masochism in signing up for a 6 a.m. run every day").

You'll usually hear it used about:

• Habits — someone who takes on unnecessary extra difficulty ("only a masochist checks work email on vacation")
• Hobbies — activities that are gruelling by design (marathons, cold showers, spicy food challenges)
• Self-deprecating humour — people joking about their own tough choices

It is almost always said affectionately or teasingly among friends and colleagues — not as a serious accusation.

Where to use it

Use masochist in casual, friendly conversation to gently tease someone (including yourself) about choosing a hard or uncomfortable path.

Where not to use it

Do not use masochist in formal writing, performance feedback, or serious conversation — it's a casual, joking word, and using it seriously can come across as an odd or even hurtful judgment about someone.

5 example sentences

1. "Only a masochist would choose the window seat next to a crying baby on a 12-hour flight," he laughed.
2. She jokingly called herself a masochist for redoing the kitchen renovation herself, alone, in July.
3. His training plan was almost masochistic — two workouts a day, six days a week.
4. "I actually enjoy cold showers now," she said. "Yeah, that's a little masochistic," her friend teased.
5. There's a certain masochism in reading your own old writing and cringing at every sentence.

Common mistakes

Similar & opposite words

Similar (synonyms)

Opposite (antonyms)

Memory trick

A short story to remember it

Ravi signed up for a 21-kilometre run in the middle of summer.

"You know there's a cooler one in December," his friend said.

"I know," Ravi said, lacing up his shoes. "I just like doing things the hard way, I guess."

"You're a masochist," his friend laughed.

Ravi finished the run drenched, exhausted, and grinning. Two weeks later, he signed up for the next one.

Practice quiz

Summary

In everyday use, masochist is a light, joking word for someone who seems to enjoy — or keeps choosing — the harder, less comfortable option. Save it for casual teasing, not serious writing.