as in desperation
cynical beliefs; beliefs that people are generally selfish and dishonest
Nothing could change her cynicism about politics.
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Recent Examples of cynicism
What makes Becky Shaw so fulfilling is its cynicism about love and its ruthless method of hurling those frustrations at its audience.
—
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
This journalistic cynicism amid government ham-handedness shattered something precious too.
—Gil Troy, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
And underlying them all is an unexpectedly sincere exploration of what true love can or should feel like, pitched right on the knife’s edge between sentimentality and cynicism.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Michael McKenzie plays Patrick Salamon, narrator and brother of Marcelle, and McKenzie is a standout, capturing both cynicism and wit.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cynicism
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
This journalistic cynicism amid government ham-handedness shattered something precious too.
—Gil Troy, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026
And underlying them all is an unexpectedly sincere exploration of what true love can or should feel like, pitched right on the knife’s edge between sentimentality and cynicism.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026
Michael McKenzie plays Patrick Salamon, narrator and brother of Marcelle, and McKenzie is a standout, capturing both cynicism and wit.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cynicism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynicism
Noun
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Shifting gears confidently into the second half of the season, this week’s episode has a more cohesive feel than the show has been able to manage so far, turning a series of interrelated crises into a Magnolia-esque montage of desperation from most of the major characters.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
3 May 2026
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But Nelson and other advocates say companies like these aren’t offering a real solution, but are taking advantage of tenants’ desperation.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
There’s both comfort in finding myself in that child’s face, and also sadness.—
Benny Peterson,
Vogue,
4 May 2026
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Amid the sadness and uncertainty, though, one moment captured the aviation community rallying around its own.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Noun
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The obituaries, social media posts, and GoFundMe pages capture the utter despair of the families, though none of them reckon with the decision not to get the vitamin K shot.—
Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
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The obituaries, social media posts and GoFundMe pages capture the utter despair of the families, though none of them reckon with the decision not to get the vitamin K shot.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Unique is meant to embody that racial trauma, but Moore doesn’t possess the grit necessary to make the pain and sorrow resonate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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The reader feels the moment’s vitality and presence, and the sorrow at its loss, but not because Ford insists on it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Hope springs eternal in Mamdaniland Despite all the doom and gloom in Mets Nation right now, there are still 140 games left to play in the regular season, a point Mamdani emphasized on Tuesday.—
Jeff Capellini,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
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And Sahm told Fortune the gloom isn’t just about this spring.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The other featured a comeback that saw hopelessness turn into jubilation.—
Peter Warren,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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For her and many other Iranians who spoke to CNN – their surnames withheld to protect their identities – the past three weeks have been filled with a sense of hopelessness and fear.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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One area where Goldman explicitly revises its prior pessimism is jobs — though not in the direction AI boosters would prefer.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
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Church was not inclined to Cole’s pessimism.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
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His reputation, as captured by obituaries in the Guardian and the Times of London, is one of genteel melancholy and precise social observation.—
Charlie Tyson,
Harpers Magazine,
21 Apr. 2026
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Still, the achievement carried a touch of melancholy for Lovell.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cynicism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynicism. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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