as in ironic
having or showing a deep distrust of human beings and their motives
so cynical that he can't understand why anyone would volunteer to help out at a homeless shelter
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cynical
There’s beauty in that depth, but also a risk of becoming paranoid, withdrawn, or overly cynical.
—
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 26 Oct. 2025
Some complain that the boisterous, anthemic version on the album belies the cynical point of view of a Vietnam veteran.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
His inclusion could come across as a cynical ploy, a way of measuring social progress in a backward town.
—Grace Byron, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
As my colleague Charlie Warzel wrote in March, on X, the White House is now a troll account, borrowing its snide visual language and tone from some of the internet’s most cynical spaces and deploying this style to mock and dehumanize people.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynical
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 26 Oct. 2025
Some complain that the boisterous, anthemic version on the album belies the cynical point of view of a Vietnam veteran.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
His inclusion could come across as a cynical ploy, a way of measuring social progress in a backward town.
—Grace Byron, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
As my colleague Charlie Warzel wrote in March, on X, the White House is now a troll account, borrowing its snide visual language and tone from some of the internet’s most cynical spaces and deploying this style to mock and dehumanize people.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynical
Adjective
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Netflix is an ironic home for a swoony love letter to cinema; the streamer remains fairly uninterested in the theatrical experience.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
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The reaction wasn’t completely unexpected, though the timing was ironic, said the 34-year-old artist.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Marriage Story star first appeared as a child in an uncredited role in the Scorsese film — Ladd's first taste of major acclaim as the sarcastic waitress Flo.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Nov. 2025
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The kicking game was so bad that Freeman sounded like Brian Kelly at his sarcastic best when asked about Noah Burnette, Erik Schmidt and Marcello Diomede combining to miss two extra points and one field goal.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The modest pace of hiring, alongside a series of high-profile layoff announcements from major companies, helps explain why consumers remain pessimistic about the labor market.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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Only voters in Virginia saw their state’s economy as excellent or good, while those in California, New York City and New Jersey took a more pessimistic view.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In a recent Instagram post, Kardashian laughed off negative reviews of the show, which also stars Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts and Glenn Close, has been receiving from fans.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
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People with a nonfunctioning ANGPTL3 gene — which Natarajan says applies to about 1 in 250 people in the US — have lifelong levels of low LDL cholesterol and triglycerides without any apparent negative consequences.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Seehorn plays Carol Sturka, a misanthropic romance author whose latest book tour concludes with an apocalyptic event that fully transforms her world and the world at large in the span of one evening.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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But Clouzot’s movies are even more morbid and misanthropic than Alfred Hitchcock’s, especially Diabolique, his most famous film.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The comments in the post were split between those who wanted to show care to the boyfriend and those who were skeptical of the woman's behavior.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
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But there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical.—
Bob Woods,
CNBC,
9 Nov. 2025
Video
The History of 'Cynic'
How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.
Cite this Entry
“Cynical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynical. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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