CYNICAL Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'cynical' differ from other similar words?

The words misanthropic and pessimistic are common synonyms of cynical . While all three words mean "deeply distrustful," cynical implies having a sneering disbelief in sincerity or integrity. // cynical about politicians' motives

Q: When is 'misanthropic' a more appropriate choice than 'cynical'?

Although the words misanthropic and cynical have much in common, misanthropic suggests a rooted distrust and dislike of human beings and their society. // a solitary and misanthropic artist

Q: In what contexts can 'pessimistic' take the place of 'cynical'?

In some situations, the words pessimistic and cynical are roughly equivalent. However, pessimistic implies having a gloomy, distrustful view of life. // pessimistic about the future

cynical

adjective

ˈsi-ni-kəl

Definition of cynical next

as in ironical

having or showing a deep distrust of human beings and their motives so cynical that he can't understand why anyone would volunteer to help out at a homeless shelter

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How does the adjective cynical differ from other similar words?

The words misanthropic and pessimistic are common synonyms of cynical. While all three words mean "deeply distrustful," cynical implies having a sneering disbelief in sincerity or integrity.

cynical about politicians' motives

When is misanthropic a more appropriate choice than cynical?

Although the words misanthropic and cynical have much in common, misanthropic suggests a rooted distrust and dislike of human beings and their society.

a solitary and misanthropic artist

In what contexts can pessimistic take the place of cynical?

In some situations, the words pessimistic and cynical are roughly equivalent. However, pessimistic implies having a gloomy, distrustful view of life.

pessimistic about the future

Examples of cynical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This cynical view holds that to be a corporation is to be greedy, a bad global citizen and to dismiss earnest efforts toward corporate social responsibility (CSR) as disingenuous. —

Eyal Harel, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024 That’s the predicament facing Elliott (Maisy Stella) who, while tripping on ‘shrooms on a camping trip with friends to celebrate her birthday, gets visited by her cynical older self (Aubrey Plaza, in a role well-suited for her). —

Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2024 Do any of us choose to be cynical in any meaningful sense? —

Sean Illing, Vox, 16 Sep. 2024 Millennials were thought of as lazy, more concerned with their next avocado toast than their careers; Gen X was seen as apathetic and cynical, and Boomers were (and kind of still are), seen as selfish, ruining the planet for the rest of us. —

Katherine Singh, refinery29.com, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cynical

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cynical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.