misanthropic

adjective

mis·​an·​throp·​ic ˌmi-sᵊn-ˈthrä-pik 

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.

misanthropically

ˌmi-sᵊn-ˈthrä-pi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

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.

Synonyms

• cynical
• pessimistic

Choose the Right Synonym for misanthropic

cynical, misanthropic, pessimistic mean deeply distrustful.

cynical implies having a sneering disbelief in sincerity or integrity.

cynical about politicians' motives

misanthropic suggests a rooted distrust and dislike of human beings and their society.

a solitary and misanthropic artist

pessimistic implies having a gloomy, distrustful view of life.

pessimistic about the future

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 on the Web

Wood starred as hopeless romantic Chelsea, who was on vacation with her older, misanthropic boyfriend Rick (Walton Goggins). —EW.com, 28 May 2025

Brief yet dense and full of misanthropic humor, Portal holds the hell up nearly twenty years later. —Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 6 May 2025

But, then, genuine misanthropic disdain is part of Verhoeven's tool kit. —Tom Gliatto, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025

To describe Mickey 17 as a sendup, by the way, is to distinguish it from satire, which would require a deeper cynicism or genuine misanthropic disdain. —Tom Gliatto, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

misanthropic

adjective

mis·​an·​throp·​ic ˌmis-ᵊn-ˈthräp-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a misanthrope

2

: marked by a hatred or contempt for humankind