Definitions for cynical
ˈsɪn ɪ kəlcyn·i·cal

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. cynical, misanthropic, misanthropicaladjective

   believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.5 / 4 votes

1. cynicaladjective

   of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.

2. cynicaladjective

   skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others.

3. cynicaladjective

   bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking.

4. cynicaladjective

   showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions.

5. cynicaladjective

   like the actions of a snarling dog.

6. Cynicaladjective

   Of or relating to the Cynics, a sect of ancient Greek philosophers who believed virtue to be the only good and self-control to be the only means of achieving virtue.

7. Cynicaladjective

   Concerned only with one's own interests and disregarding accepted standards to achieve them: A cynical fool

8. Etymology: Originated 1580–90 from cynic+-al.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Cynical, Cynickadjective

   Having the qualities of a dog; currish; brutal; snarling; satirical.

   Etymology: ϰυνιϰος.

   He doth believe that some new fangled wit (it is his cynical phrase) will some time or other find out his art. John Wilkins.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. cynical

   Cynicism is an attitude characterized by a general distrust of the motives of "others". A cynic may have a general lack of faith or hope in people motivated by ambition, desire, greed, gratification, materialism, goals, and opinions that a cynic perceives as vain, unobtainable, or ultimately meaningless. The term originally derives from the ancient Greek philosophers, the Cynics, who rejected conventional goals of wealth, power, and honor. They practiced shameless nonconformity with social norms in religion, manners, housing, dress, or decency, instead advocating the pursuit of virtue in accordance with a simple and natural way of life. By the 19th century, emphasis on the ascetic ideals and the critique of current civilization based on how it might fall short of an ideal civilization or negativistic aspects of Cynic philosophy led the modern understanding of cynicism to mean a disposition of disbelief in the sincerity or goodness of human motives and actions. Modern cynicism is a distrust toward professed ethical and social values, especially when there are high expectations concerning society, institutions, and authorities that are unfulfilled. It can manifest itself as a result of frustration, disillusionment, and distrust perceived as owing to organizations, authorities, and other aspects of society. Cynicism is often confused with pessimism or nihilism, perhaps due to its distrust in others. The differences between the three is that cynicism is a distrust by prudence; while due to a sense of defeatism, pessimism is the distrust of potential success. Nihilism on its part is the general distrust cast upon the belief that anything in life (including life itself) has any valuable meaning.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. cynical

   Cynical is an adjective that describes an attitude or viewpoint characterized by distrust, skepticism, and a belief that human motives are primarily selfish or insincere. Cynical individuals tend to have a pessimistic or negative perception of human nature and often question the sincerity or integrity of people's actions and intentions.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. Cynicaladjective

   having the qualities of a surly dog; snarling; captious; currish

2. Cynicaladjective

   pertaining to the Dog Star; as, the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle

3. Cynicaladjective

   belonging to the sect of philosophers called cynics; having the qualities of a cynic; pertaining to, or resembling, the doctrines of the cynics

4. Cynicaladjective

   given to sneering at rectitude and the conduct of life by moral principles; disbelieving in the reality of any human purposes which are not suggested or directed by self-interest or self-indulgence; as, a cynical man who scoffs at pretensions of integrity; characterized by such opinions; as, cynical views of human nature

Anagrams for cynical »

1. cyclian

How to pronounce cynical?

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How to say cynical in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of cynical in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of cynical in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of cynical in a Sentence

1. Phil Robertson:

   This release continues Vietnam's cynical practice of releasing high profile dissidents from prison directly into forced exile, with immediate departure from the country being the price of their freedom.

2. Lily Tomlin:

   No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up.

3. Chuck Schumer:

   It is not a final deadline for legislative text. It is not a cynical ploy, it is not a fish-or-cut-bait moment. It is not an attempt to jam anyone. It is only a signal that Senate Democrats is ready to get the process started – something Senate Democrats has routinely done on other bipartisan bills this year.

4. Alamos CEO John McCluskey:

   It is a very cynical thing to say, but I believe that this whole attack is essentially just an environmental cloak that is being put over what is really a deep political agenda, what I've never experienced in the past is where there has been very deliberate misinformation about this project that is being published in an effort to get very rapidly a very emotive social media response.

5. Jaribu Hill:

   People are basically cynical in many ways because they haven't seen a lot of accountability.

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=cynical
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cynical
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=cynical
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynical
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cynical