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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cynic
This is not a home for doomers, cynics, or know-it-alls.
—
Daphne Koller, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
The belief by cynics is that Netflix wants to be a streaming service.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2025
On the other hand, skeptics and cynics tend to be insistent right now that the clean-up activity is not going to last very long.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Travis Kelce knows what the cynics might think of his relationship with Taylor Swift — two of the most famous people in America just happen to match up perfectly?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynic
Daphne Koller, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
The belief by cynics is that Netflix wants to be a streaming service.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2025
On the other hand, skeptics and cynics tend to be insistent right now that the clean-up activity is not going to last very long.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Travis Kelce knows what the cynics might think of his relationship with Taylor Swift — two of the most famous people in America just happen to match up perfectly?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynic
Noun
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Still, this misanthrope takes somewhat of a liking to Fiona (Florence Ordesh), the woman who shows him to his room and tends the hotel bar.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
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The story follows a rag-tag group of misanthropes who attempt to rob jewels from the Vatican.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Beaudin’s critics, including residents supporting Balch’s campaign and those that opposed Measure PP, claimed the city was overstating its budget issues and that officials were holding out on a reserve of cash that could lessen impacts of any potential deficit.—
Kyle Martin,
Mercury News,
7 June 2026
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Environmentalists and critics have a list of concerns.—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
7 June 2026
Noun
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That is a hard thing to live with—but, the pessimist would answer, who thought life was supposed to be easy?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
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As late as August 2007, the Federal Reserve was skeptical of such bubble talk, while Grantham was dismissed as a pessimist, a dismissal that soon proved mistaken.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The naysayers log on consistently and the criticism is often louder and more overblown when those things happen.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
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Jill Biden does leave the door open that the naysayers might have been right.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Converting aerospace skeptics For investors, Honeywell Aerospace represents a pure play on the growth of commercial aviation and the defense industry.—
Phil LeBeau,Meghan Reeder,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
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David Ellison, chief executive of CBS News parent Paramount, brought in Weiss — a skeptic of legacy media — with a mandate to move the division more to the political center.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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 8 Jun. 2026.
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