cynicism
noun
cyn·i·cism
ˈsi-nə-ˌsi-zəm 
1
capitalized
: the doctrine of the Cynics (see cynic sense 2)
2
: cynical attitude or quality
Nothing could change her cynicism about politics.
also
: a cynical comment or act
pungent cynicisms
Examples of cynicism in a Sentence
Nothing could change her cynicism about politics.
Recent Examples on the Web
As usual, Scott sells visually sumptuous cynicism, this time about Napoleon Bonaparte leveraging his control of post-Revolution France, starting in 1793, to attempt conquering the world.
—
Armond White, National Review, 24 Nov. 2023
The result was that Hollywood sold its gems as costume jewelry, not through mercenary cynicism but because the studio potentates were no more aware of the enduring art being produced under their aegis than were critics or, for that matter, viewers.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023
There's plenty of cynicism around the opportunities of generative AI—much of it warranted.
—John Jarosz, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Since the pandemic, a new strain of cynicism has emerged.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023
That film turned glib cynicism into Oscar-bait rocket fuel, blasting past every thicket of fiscal confusion.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023
Parents should be concerned about Swift grooming their kids into cynicism and selfishness.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Oct. 2023
Too often, the cynicism discourages people from engaging, which is the worst possible outcome.
—TIME, 15 Oct. 2023
Ross’s liberal cynicism about evangelical religion kept him from developing religious commitments of his own.
—Jim Sleeper, The New Republic, 4 Sep. 2023
See More
Armond White, National Review, 24 Nov. 2023
The result was that Hollywood sold its gems as costume jewelry, not through mercenary cynicism but because the studio potentates were no more aware of the enduring art being produced under their aegis than were critics or, for that matter, viewers.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023
There's plenty of cynicism around the opportunities of generative AI—much of it warranted.
—John Jarosz, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Since the pandemic, a new strain of cynicism has emerged.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023
That film turned glib cynicism into Oscar-bait rocket fuel, blasting past every thicket of fiscal confusion.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023
Parents should be concerned about Swift grooming their kids into cynicism and selfishness.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Oct. 2023
Too often, the cynicism discourages people from engaging, which is the worst possible outcome.
—TIME, 15 Oct. 2023
Ross’s liberal cynicism about evangelical religion kept him from developing religious commitments of his own.
—Jim Sleeper, The New Republic, 4 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cynicism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cynicism
Cite this Entry
“Cynicism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cynicism. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
cynicism
noun
cyn·i·cism
ˈsin-ə-ˌsiz-əm
: a cynical attitude or quality
also
: an expression of cynical quality
More from Merriam-Webster on cynicism
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cynicism
Nglish: Translation of cynicism for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of cynicism for Arabic Speakers
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