Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Merriam-Webster Reports Massive 30,500% Spike In 'Schadenfreude' Searches Following Trump Diagnosis

Merriam-Webster Reports Massive 30,500% Spike In 'Schadenfreude' Searches Following Trump Diagnosis
Tia Dufour/The White House/Getty Images
Make us preferred on Google

As vast as the English language can seem, with so many words for so many situations, it does not have the right words for every situation. It often needs to borrow words from another language to find just the right nuance.

And when President Donald J. Trump announced his diagnosis Thursday night, many in the United States found their vocabulary lacking to describe exactly how they felt.


So they turned to the Merriam-Webster dictionary and discovered the word "schadenfreude."


As the above tweet states, searches for schadenfreude have increased 30,500% after the President's announcement.

Schadenfreude is actually officially in the English language, borrowed from German in the 1800s. But there's something to be said if we really needed a word like that.

According to Merriam-Webster, the word is defined as:

"Enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others."

Many online felt the word described exactly how they felt about the situation with Trump.

Wonder why that is?





To many, this is due to the response Trump and his administration have had to the ongoing pandemic. More specifically, it's about his absolute lack of a response.

Trump wasn't the only one infected, as several guests at a meet-and-greet for Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett have also tested positive since. The large gathering was mostly maskless after onsite testing said everyone tested negative.

The gathering is very representative of the mindset Trump and his administration have for the containment of the virus.

With all this in mind, it's easy to see why some might think of this as a very appropriate outcome.






It wasn't all joy at the President's status. Many offered condolences and wishes for him to recover, if only to face justice for the damage they believe he's done to this country.

Others, especially supporters of the President, tried to shame people online for expressing their emotions. This is despite the fact that many engaged in similar behavior when Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed or other instances that ask for respect.

Many became so incensed at the finger wagging that they had to respond.






At time of writing, President Trump has not been released from Walter Reed Medical Center. However official news about his condition is positive, and he may be released soon.

In the meantime, now might be a good time to learn some new words to express yourself if something important happens in the next few weeks.

More from News

Ellen Pompeo
Dominik Bindl/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

Ellen Pompeo Sparks Representation Debate After Being Cast As Woman With Hearing Loss In New TV Series

Actor Ellen Pompeo has sparked a debate about representation after announcing her next television gig.

Pompeo, best known for her long-running stint as the titular Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy, is set to star in a new medical drama in development at Hulu playing a character with hearing loss.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

It Looks Like Trump's Tacky Monument To Himself In DC May Become A Reality—And People Are Truly Disgusted

Critics pounced on President Donald Trump's latest vanity project after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that excavation will begin for an enormous arch that will bear Trump's name.

Trump has given significant attention to White House renovations and other pet projects around Washington, D.C., since returning to office. Trump's White House renovations have already cost nearly $1 billion, according to one analysis.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kevin Dillon, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Debi Mazar, Doug Ellin, Jerry Ferrara, Rex Lee and Jeremy Piven posing on a red carpet event in front of an "Entourage" step and repeat.
Gregg DeGuire / Contributor/Getty Images

'Entourage' Creator Speaks Out After Debi Mazar Claims Set Became 'Toxic' After Birth Of Her 2nd Child

Loosely inspired by the early days of Mark Wahlberg's rise to fame in Hollywood, Entourage, which Wahlberg executive-produced, was one of the most successful original series ever produced by HBO.

Premiering in 2004, Entourage went on to run eight seasons, and win six Emmy awards, even spawning a film, which premiered on HBO in 2015.

Keep ReadingShow less
Evan Rachel Wood reflects on being recast in Practical Magic 2 after originating the role of Kylie Owens.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images; Courtesy of Warner Bros.

'Practical Magic' Star Evan Rachel Wood Reveals Nobody From Original Film Reached Out To Her Before Her Role Was Re-Cast For Sequel

When Practical Magic 2 was announced last year, fans were ready to head back to the Owens family home—but apparently, not everyone from the original cast got the invitation.

The sequel picks up 25 years after the 1998 cult classic, with Joey King and Maisie Williams taking over as Kylie and Antonia Owens, the daughters of Sandra Bullock’s Sally. The recasting hasn’t exactly worked its magic on everyone, with fans complaining about Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip being replaced in the roles they originated.

Keep ReadingShow less
Davis Mallory and Rachel Vaughan
@davismallory/Instagram

'The Challenge' Star Debuts New Girlfriend A Year After Announcing He's 'No Longer Gay' Thanks To 'God'

A former MTV star has revealed that he is "no longer gay" thanks to "God."

Davis Mallory, who starred on MTV's The Real World and The Challenge, recently went Instagram-official with his girlfriend Rachel Vaughan.

Keep ReadingShow less