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