as in critics
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cynics
Put the kibosh on quiet cracking, those cynics insist.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 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
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
Smarmy cynics will call them foolish for their foolhardy ambitions.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
All one needs is to read the headlines today, 45 years down the road, to see that sometimes cynics have a point.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Into this void emerge the cynics and the snake-oil merchants, the dreamers, the circumventers, the guileful peddlers of One Weird Tricks.
—Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Dec. 2024
Until then, the industry must live with cynics carping from the sidelines.
—Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2024
Did the Megalopolis cynics show up last night?
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2024
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 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
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
Smarmy cynics will call them foolish for their foolhardy ambitions.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
All one needs is to read the headlines today, 45 years down the road, to see that sometimes cynics have a point.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Into this void emerge the cynics and the snake-oil merchants, the dreamers, the circumventers, the guileful peddlers of One Weird Tricks.
—Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Dec. 2024
Until then, the industry must live with cynics carping from the sidelines.
—Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2024
Did the Megalopolis cynics show up last night?
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynics
Noun
-
The scene touched the hearts of viewers and earned rave reviews from critics.—
Carson Blackwelder,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
But Kennedy has already propagated an insidious revolution within the agencies under his control, using a playbook familiar to illiberal leaders—culling expertise, silencing critics, and weaponizing administrative procedure to grant a veneer of legitimacy to his actions.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As funny as the skit was, there were some naysayers in the mix.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Instead of directly addressing the naysayers, Rutledge acknowledged taking a less conspicuous approach.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Optimists climb the career ladder faster and farther than pessimists.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
-
So far, all signs indicate that the pessimists were right.—
Keith Gessen,
The New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cynics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynics. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share