Sociopath is a word used to describe a person who suffers from sociopathy, a psychopathology that causes impulsive, hostile, and antisocial behavior.
Sociopathy is classified as a personality disorder characterized by an exacerbated egocentrism, leading to a disregard for the feelings and opinions of others.
A sociopath has no attachment to moral values and is capable of simulating feelings to manipulate others. Furthermore, their inability to control negative emotions makes it very difficult to establish a stable relationship with others.
Sociopathy has no cure; however, its effects can be 
mitigated through psychotherapy and medication prescription. The term functional sociopath indicates a person who, despite suffering from sociopathy, has this situation under control, meaning that the effects of sociopathy do not significantly affect their interaction with others.
Sociopath vs. Psychopath
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, both psychopathy and sociopathy are considered antisocial disorders and share many similar characteristics, which explains why they are often seen as synonyms.
There are many common traits, such as disregard for laws, social norms, and the rights of others; lack of guilt feelings; and violent behavior.
One of the main differences is that psychopaths are often charming and popular individuals who frequently hold leadership positions and can attract people to themselves.
A sociopath is not very good in social contexts, often being classified as an antisocial person. Despite this, the sociopath can pretend or force feelings, appearing to be at ease or happy when they are not. On the other hand, the psychopath often feels comfortable in groups, viewing this situation as an opportunity to manipulate others for their own benefit.
Identifying the Sociopath
They can be anywhere, whether at your workplace, school, or even in your own family.
There are different levels and types of sociopaths, from the more subtle to those who become dangerous serial killers, for example.
Here are some signs that characterize a sociopath, remembering that only a qualified professional can provide an official diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder:
1. Difficulty feeling empathy: One of the common characteristics among sociopaths is the lack of so-called emotional intelligence, that is, the ability to recognize and understand the feelings of others.
2. Manipulative and compulsive liars: Sociopaths create lies indiscriminately with the aim of achieving certain goals, manipulating those around them to do so. Pretending feelings is common among sociopaths as part of the manipulation process.
3. False charm: Charismatic, friendly, and charming. Surprisingly, these are also common characteristics among sociopaths, albeit only superficially.
4. Extremely impulsive: Sociopaths live for pleasure and are characterized by being very inconsistent, that is, they act on impulse, changing their goals from one moment to the next, according to their current whims.
5. Extremely egocentric: Believing they are never wrong or lacking awareness of moral and ethical concepts, sociopaths have an inflated view of themselves. They see themselves as highly deserving of things.
Source: www.significados.com.br