cynic

[ sin-ik ]

noun

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

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

/ 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

cynic

²

/ ˈsɪnɪk /

noun

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

adjective

1. a less common word for cynical
2. astronomy of or relating to Sirius, the Dog Star

Other Words From

• an·ti·cyn·ic noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cynic¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of cynic¹

C16: via Latin from Greek Kunikos, from kuōn dog

Example Sentences

The cynics, meanwhile, shorted GME to heights rarely seen in the past decade—to well north of 100% of the stock’s total float.

From Fortune

In Wilde’s day, the cynic and sentimentalist characters made for good theater.

From Fortune

A cynic would say this is a way for the company to drive product adoption until it has a large, installed base of users.

From Search Engine Land

The world, unfortunately, or some people—cynics—the cynical blogosphere at least—still sees fitness equipment as rote weight loss.

From Time

A cynic might wonder if the police were telling the whole truth.

From Freakonomics

You, dear reader and refusenik, will likely be called a cynic or a sad sack by friends.

From The Daily Beast

A cynic might say that the report is like the movie Clue, perfectly set up for a multiplicity of endings.

From The Daily Beast

Though he made it back to the top by dint of talent and hard work, he remained a deep-dyed cynic for the rest of his life.

From The Daily Beast

Putin, after all, is not the only cynic on center stage in the Ukraine crisis.

From The Daily Beast

Likely, Harold would have accepted the short shrift with his usual cynic's grace.

From The Daily Beast

A cynic was Blondet, with little regard for glory undefiled.

From Project Gutenberg

Could I have been led to believe that the vile mockery of the cynic was applicable to one in my forlorn and desperate situation?

From Project Gutenberg

I've met him; he's a bad-tempered hypochondriac, a cynic at heart, and a man whose word is never doubted.

From Project Gutenberg

The word cynic, too, comes from the name given to certain Greek philosophers who despised pleasure.

From Project Gutenberg

Suppose he is a cynic, it is to his interest to govern well.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• detractor
• doubter
• pessimist
• skeptic