misanthropic

adjective mis·an·throp·ic \ ˌmi-sᵊn-ˈthrä-pik \

Definition of misanthropic

1 :of, relating to, or characteristic of a misanthrope

He was shunned because of his miserable misanthropic nature.

2 :marked by a hatred or contempt for humankind

The moral corruption he saw around him made him misanthropic.

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misanthropically

play \-pi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of misanthropic in a Sentence

a misanthropic outlook on life that probably stems from a childhood filled with physical and emotional abuse

Recent Examples of misanthropic from the Web

Today’s Left might not openly espouse such misanthropic theories, but the insistence that overpopulation will destroy the earth is very much with us.

— alexandra desanctis, National Review, "Population Control, the Undying Dream of the Left," 13 July 2017
Puddle of Mudd was among the throngs of bands that sort of picked up the heavy, moping and misanthropic sensibility of grunge and gave it an everyman attitude.

— john adamian, courant.com, "Puddle Of Mudd At Infinity Hall," 5 July 2017
The Killing of a Sacred Deer, which shared the best screenplay prize with You Were Never Really Here. Ramsay and Lanthimos are directors of abundant talent, and yet their Cannes films were so cramped and muted and misanthropic.

— richard lawson, VanityFair.com, "There’s No Escaping the Brutal World, Even at Cannes," 29 May 2017
One of the brothers (Richard Gere) is a glad-handing politician; the other (Steve Coogan) is a sarcastic former history teacher who gradually reveals himself to be not just resentful and misanthropic but also seriously unhinged.

— charles mcgrath, New York Times, "Oren Moverman: An Actor’s Director, Almost by Accident," 11 May 2017
As Phil Connors, the weatherman stuck in a time loop on February 2nd, Andy Karl doesn’t re-create Murray’s misanthropic euphoria—who could?—but gives the character his own sardonic stamp.

— The New Yorker, "Groundhog Day," 21 Apr. 2017
This film from the misanthropic Warren Ellis word machine had great buzz in the beginning.

— dave banks, WIRED, "10 Comic Book Movies We’re Looking Forward To (And 5 That We Might Catch On DVD)," 17 July 2009

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'misanthropic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Jonathan Swift was famous for the misanthropy of works such as Gulliver's Travels which make fun of all kinds of human foolishness. But in spite of his apparent misanthropic attitude, he spent a third of his income on founding a hospital and another third on other charities—certainly not the acts of a true misanthrope. Today we often use synonyms such as cynic and grinch for misanthropic types—while hoping we don't meet too many of them.