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• cynic
  cynic

  noun

  a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.
• Cynic
  Cynic

  noun

  a member of a sect founded by Antisthenes that scorned worldly things and held that self-control was the key to the only good

cynic

American  

[sin-ik] / ˈsɪn ɪk /

noun

• cynics
  plural

1. a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.

   Synonyms:

   misanthrope, pessimist, skeptic

2. (initial capital letter) one of a sect of Greek philosophers, 4th century b.c., who advocated the doctrines that virtue is the only good, that the essence of virtue is self-control, and that surrender to any external influence is beneath human dignity.

3. a person who shows or expresses a bitterly or sneeringly cynical attitude.

   Synonyms:

   misanthrope, pessimist, skeptic

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adjective

1. cynical.

2. (initial capital letter) Also Cynical. of or relating to the Cynics or their doctrines.

3. Medicine/Medical Now Rare. resembling the actions of a snarling dog.

cynic ¹ British  

/ ˈsɪnɪk /

noun

1. a person who believes the worst about people or the outcome of events

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adjective

1. a less common word for cynical

2. astronomy of or relating to Sirius, the Dog Star

Cynic ² British  

/ ˈsɪnɪk /

noun

1. a member of a sect founded by Antisthenes that scorned worldly things and held that self-control was the key to the only good

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anticynic
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cynics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cynic

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin Cynicus, from Greek Kynikós “Cynic,” literally, “doglike, currish,” equivalent to kyn-, stem of kýōn “dog” + -ikos -ic ( def. )

Explanation

A cynic is someone who believes that humans are selfish and that they only do something if it will benefit themselves. Cynics criticize acts of kindness and will probably tease you if you help an old lady cross the street. Maybe you know a cynic or two. They like to criticize people and situations, especially if they think there’s a deeper motivation behind the more obvious one. Let’s say a friend borrows your car, and then he shows up later covered in grease and offers you a lollipop. If you’re a cynic, you’d suspect that your friend crashed your car and is trying to distract you with the delicious and sweet lollipop. And you might be right.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cynic Cynic cynics

"The cynic in me says this is what always happens to Mexico. We're good, but we just can never truly compete against the elite of the world," he says.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

The man is rhapsodically shameless—oafishly charismatic, memorably strange-looking—a cynic at heart, and a carny in spirit.

From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026

Meanwhile, a cynic is tempted to ask: What would you expect?

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 7, 2026

A cynic might argue that celebrities don’t want film and moviegoing as we know them to die because they don’t want to lose their source of income, and maybe that’s true for some.

From Salon ● Jan. 13, 2026

As a cynic, Flora found it wise to be prepared.

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo

To have no needs or desires, in the Cynic view, conferred a power greater than that of a king.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025

Cynic, realist, whatever: when I stood around chatting with my free drink, surrounded by optimism, I harbored some reservations about the usefulness of analog astronautics and the motivations of the participants.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 10, 2023

The Cynic replied “stop standing in my sunbeam.”

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2020

Alec MacGillis is a reporter for ProPublica and the author of “The Cynic: The Political Education of Mitch McConnell.”

From New York Times ● Mar. 7, 2019

“I have as good a right to make a Word, he insisted, “as that Pedant Bigot Cynic and Monk.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Turner said in a speech at the launch that the network was meant “to create a positive force in a world where cynics abound.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026

When the cynics start making money, it’s time to pay attention.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2025

Seasoned investors, and quite a few cynics, often warn about the dangers of the taxi-driver trade.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2025

So I’m excited to hopefully cultivate a new batch of cynics and magic lovers and bring them along for the ride.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2025

Martin had once seen the moon as hopeful, too, but after he was beaten down by cynics the moon was dark for him.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

Related Words

• detractor
• doubter
• pessimist
• skeptic