If you describe someone's behaviour as masochism, you mean that they seem to be trying to get into a situation which causes them suffering or great difficulty.
Once you have tasted life in southern California, it takes a peculiar kind of masochismto return to a British winter.
masochistcountable noun
Anybody who enjoys this is a masochist.
3. See also sado-masochism
masochism in British English
(ˈmæsəˌkɪzəm)
noun
1. psychiatry
an abnormal condition in which pleasure, esp sexual pleasure, is derived from pain or from humiliation, domination, etc, by another person
2. psychoanalysis
the directing towards oneself of any destructive tendencies
3.
a tendency to take pleasure from one's own suffering
Compare sadism
Derived forms
masochist (ˈmasochist)
noun, adjective
masochistic (ˌmasoˈchistic)
adjective
masochistically (ˌmasoˈchistically)
adverb
Word origin
C19: named after Leopold von Sacher Masoch (1836–95), Austrian novelist, who described it
masochism in American English
(ˈmæsəˌkɪzəm; ˈmæzəˌkɪzəm)
noun
1.
the getting of sexual pleasure from being dominated, mistreated, or hurt physically or otherwise by one's partner
2.
the getting of pleasure from suffering physical or psychological pain, inflicted by others or by oneself
see also sadism
Derived forms
masochist (ˈmasochist)
noun
masochistic (ˌmasoˈchistic)
adjective
masochistically (ˌmasoˈchistically)
adverb
Word origin
after Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1835-95), Austrian writer in whose stories it is described
Examples of 'masochism' in a sentence
masochism
There were no visions forthcoming, and after a minute of this masochism, he turned the heat up a little and scrubbed himself clean.
Clive Barker SACRAMENT (2001)
Through the murmurous miasma, he said, `This is an exercise in empty masochism.
Kallen, Lucille C B GREENFIELD - A LITTLE MADNESS (2001)