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. Conan OBriens late-night careerO'Brien jokes:

   All I ask is one thing, and I'm asking this particularly of young people that watch : Please do not be cynical, i hate cynicism. For the record, it's my least-favorite quality — it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen.

2. Scott Long:

   It's a cynical, opportunistic kind of power play.

3. Oleksander Turchynov:

   I want to draw the attention of our strategic partners to the blatant and cynical discrediting by Russia of all the joint peace efforts.

4. Dan Jenkins:

   Id never experienced even as an old, cynical writer as much excitement as all of us felt that afternoon following that action, there have been so many great moments in golf that you even forget some of them. But that one still stands out. ... There have been so many great tournaments that Ive been privileged to see, and people paid me to go watch, that Im awfully grateful for it.

5. Ted Cruz:

   I understood that my recounting in my book A Time for Truth the threats he made in the 2009 Texas Attorney General race—and the disparaging remarks he made about President George H.W. Bush—would cause him some discomfort, but I never imagined that his response would be a straight-out falsehood. It's disappointing; this is why people are so cynical about politics, because too many people are willing to lie.

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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