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
Van Der Beek played the titular Dawson, and his persona was one of a straightforward, yearning good guy chafing against others’ cynicism.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
Jeffrey Epstein has become one of the few scandals that unites Americans in cynicism.
—Kaitlyn Buss, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
But our power is about awakening something beyond fear and cynicism in the human nervous system.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Also striking was that George Jefferson shared his cynicism about White people and race in America via blunt humor and uncomfortable truths.
—Starr Rocque, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cynicism
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2026
Jeffrey Epstein has become one of the few scandals that unites Americans in cynicism.
—Kaitlyn Buss, Boston Herald, 8 Feb. 2026
But our power is about awakening something beyond fear and cynicism in the human nervous system.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Also striking was that George Jefferson shared his cynicism about White people and race in America via blunt humor and uncomfortable truths.
—Starr Rocque, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cynicism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynicism
Noun
-
Pantemis got away, perhaps mercifully, with a yellow card after a hard foul on Reggie Cannon out of desperation outside the box in the 73rd minute.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Carmona’s story in West Dallas is one of perseverance, creativity and, at times, desperation.—
Sarah Blaskovich,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her wedge of baked Alaska slouched on the plate like a children’s book illustration meant to convey sadness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Mar. 2026
-
In my experience, sadness and melancholy exist side by side with happiness and joy.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If only for a moment, the despair and dread of war had been interrupted by hope.—
Yousra Elbagir,
Time,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Helplessness can beget despair.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Giving in, in this case, is drowning his sorrows in drink.—
Christina Grace Tucker,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
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Such trickery to assign great value to low-worth materials also underpins the surprise ending for The Girl Who Cried Pearls, which follows a poor boy falling in love with a girl overwhelmed by sorrow to the point her tears turn into pearls.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Baker is quick to push back against some of the doom-and-gloom that hangs over the future of Olympic sports at the college level.—
Lindsay Schnell,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Elsewhere, stories of economic gloom – from galloping inflation to restaurant closures and the knock-on impact of severe tax increases – describe the many ways in which the prolonged war in Ukraine is now hitting Russians hard in the pocket at home.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If your friend or family member is struggling to keep up with daily responsibilities, constantly ruminating about relationship issues, or expressing a sense of hopelessness, consider bringing it up, says Francesca Emma, a therapist in New York.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
-
His motion veered between expressions of hopelessness and elaborate proposals for prisoner exchanges.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Dana Peterson, chief economist for the Conference Board, noted in a press release that write-in responses reflected a growing pessimism towards prices, inflation and the cost of goods.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The continent’s funds have seen steady inflows over the last 12 months, after years of outflows, as pessimism over Europe’s economy fades.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Turner plays the middle brother with intriguing melancholy and an almost alien detachment, which works within the world this film creates, but not necessarily for a main character.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Fanning’s name was the first called when nominations were announced, signaling that Scandinavian melancholy would be notably absent that morning.—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cynicism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynicism. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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