as in misanthrope
a person who distrusts other people and believes that everything is done for selfish reasons
a cynic who believes that nobody does a good deed without expecting something in return
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Recent Examples of cynic
Erudite cynics like Karl Rove have written that gerrymandering has been around as long as there have been politicians and districts and that public officials invariably become inured to their own hypocrisy.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2025
But crypto companies have long maintained that digital currencies are a new, innovative financial product that needs its own set of rules — rules that critics and cynics say the crypto sector would like to shape to its advantage by spending heavily in elections.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 19 July 2025
Gunn and Safran and all of Warner Bros can rest easy after the cynics’ snarking over the first trailer back in December.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 10 July 2025
The evergreen revolving door of oddballs and cynics populating that Manhattan arraignment court in the wee hours of the night and at the center of it all a workplace family that will forever be... until next time.
—EW.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynic
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2025
But crypto companies have long maintained that digital currencies are a new, innovative financial product that needs its own set of rules — rules that critics and cynics say the crypto sector would like to shape to its advantage by spending heavily in elections.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 19 July 2025
Gunn and Safran and all of Warner Bros can rest easy after the cynics’ snarking over the first trailer back in December.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 10 July 2025
The evergreen revolving door of oddballs and cynics populating that Manhattan arraignment court in the wee hours of the night and at the center of it all a workplace family that will forever be... until next time.
—EW.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynic
Noun
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Gregg is identified in the press notes as a misanthrope, but the jury’s still out on that predetermined character trait.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Oct. 2025
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Rosales is Trevor, Penny’s other BFF, a misanthrope who’d rather fade into the background.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Then, Hayes was accused of being a sore loser by critics.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The Cannes-premiering film rates higher with critics than audiences so far but is the biggest ever box office for director Lynne Ramsey and an awards-season magnet for star Jennifer Lawrence’s career-defining performance.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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That sensibility is countered by Dina’s, who plays the romantic foil to Liberty’s pessimist.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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Worries are particularly high about companies in the artificial-intelligence industry, where pessimists see echoes of the 2000 dot-com bubble that imploded.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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On a Gothams nominating committee, one passionate naysayer can sometimes prevent a big film from getting a nod.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
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Being a naysayer in this market doesn’t pay the bills.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Scientists are natural skeptics, and his first instinct was to look for flaws.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
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Regardless of whether his own feelings seeped into the show, Gilligan has been a vocal skeptic of artificial intelligence.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
7 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
“Cynic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynic. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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