noun
psychopath
SEYE-koh-path
noun
1
A person with a severe personality disorder marked by manipulation, lack of empathy, and disregard for others' safety or rights.
"The documentary examined how a corporate psychopath rose to the top by exploiting colleagues."
2
Loosely, someone who commits shockingly violent or bizarre acts.
"The media labeled the killer a psychopath after details of the crime emerged."
How to Use Psychopath
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who lacks empathy and remorse and often manipulates or harms others without guilt.
Common mistake
In casual speech people use "psychopath" loosely for anyone cruel or reckless, but clinically it refers to a specific, diagnosable personality pattern.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
diagnosed psychopath
corporate psychopath
Word Forms
psychopaths plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “psychopath”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The documentary examined how a corporate _____ rose to the top by exploiting colleagues.
Etymology
From German psychopathisch, built from Greek psykhē ("soul") + pathos ("suffering").