Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce schadenfreude

SHAH-dun-froy-duh - four syllables, stress on the 1st; 'sch' is 'sh' and 'eu' is 'oy'

US/ˈʃɑː.dənˌfɹɔɪ.də/

ʃɑːdənfɹɔɪdə

UK/ˈʃɑː.dənˌfɹɔɪ.də/

ʃɑːdənfɹɔɪdə

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

The 'sch' is 'sh' and 'freu' is 'froy' - 'SHAH-dun-froy-duh'.

What “schadenfreude” means

Malicious enjoyment derived from observing someone else's misfortune.

In a sentence

  • He felt schadenfreude watching the rival stumble on stage.
  • There is a certain schadenfreude in seeing competitors face a setback after boasting about their plans.

Say it out loud a few times, then check yourself.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.