Masochism can come with a lot of stereotypes, and not everyone knows the whole picture. Discover what a masochist is, common traits, and 9 tips for finding balance. Masochism is a habit or practice of deriving sexual gratification from the infliction of pain or suffering on oneself. While sadism and masochism are sometimes confused, they have different meanings. A masochist is someone who enjoys receiving pain, while a sadist is someone who enjoys inflicting it. A masochistic person gains pleasure from experiencing various forms of pain. In this guide, you’ll learn what masochist means, where it comes from, why we say it, how to use it, synonyms, acronyms, and more!