# What Do Sadism and Masochism Mean in BDSM?

> You have heard "S&M" used as a punchline more often than you have heard it explained. Here is the actual meaning — what each half describes, how they fit together, and where the line against cruelty sits.

Canonical URL: https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/
Markdown: https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/index.md
Publication: Classic BDSM — an India-focused, adult-only, non-explicit educational resource.

## Scope

This page covers: s and m meaning.
Also addresses: what is s and m; sadist and masochist meaning; define s and m.
Not covered here (see the linked pages instead): masochism meaning; sadism meaning.

## Key concepts

- sadism
- masochism
- S&M
- BDSM
- consent
- dominant
- submissive
- power exchange
- sexual sadism disorder
- sexual masochism disorder

## Sections

- What does S and M actually mean? (https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/#what-sm-means)
- Sadism and masochism, defined on their own (https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/#sadism-and-masochism-defined)
- Why the two get paired at all (https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/#why-the-terms-are-paired)
- S&M is not simply "liking pain" (https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/#more-than-liking-pain)
- Sadism and masochism versus dominance and submission (https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/#sm-vs-dominance-and-submission)
- Consensual sadism is not the same as cruelty (https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/#not-the-same-as-cruelty)
- What about the clinical terms? (https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/#clinical-terms-and-diagnosis)
- Labels do not replace consent — and you can be both (https://classic-bdsm.com/learn/sadism-and-masochism/#labels-consent-and-flexibility)

## Sources referenced

- American Psychiatric Association — Paraphilic Disorders (DSM-5 Fact Sheet) (https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Practice/DSM/APA_DSM-5-Paraphilic-Disorders.pdf)
- The Journal of Sex Research — Jaime M. Brown, Meg-John Barker & Qazi Rahman, "A Systematic Scoping Review of the Prevalence, Etiological, Psychological, and Interpersonal Factors Associated with BDSM" (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31617765/)
- Sexual Abuse — Dunkley, C. R. & Brotto, L. A., "The Role of Consent in the Context of BDSM" (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31010393/)

Last reviewed: 2026-08-31