cynicism

American  

[sin-uh-siz-uhm] / ˈsɪn əˌsɪz əm /

noun

1. cynical disposition, character, or belief.

2. a cynical remark.

3. (initial capital letter) any of the doctrines or practices of the Cynics.

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cynicism ¹ British  

/ ˈsɪnɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. the attitude or beliefs of a cynic

2. a cynical action, remark, idea, etc

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Cynicism ² British  

/ ˈsɪnɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. the doctrines of the Cynics

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Other Word Forms

• anticynicism noun

Etymology

Origin of cynicism

First recorded in 1665–75; cynic + -ism

Example Sentences

I suspect that the movie might be too smart for its own good, or perhaps hemmed in by a cynicism that, everywhere we look lately, it appears that crime does pay.

From Los Angeles Times

So Henry converted, and with classic French cynicism is famously reported to have said, “Paris is well worth a Mass.”

From The Wall Street Journal

He still has a valid claim at least to being the outsider who keeps beating the incumbents at their own game of nonstop, seven-day-a-week cynicism.

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, as the years progressed, cynicism seemed to cast a pall over Superman.

From The Wall Street Journal

For we did not foresee then a world in which trust in traditional sources of news and information would be corroded by a rising cynicism, turbo-charged by social media and, increasingly now, AI.

From BBC

Related Words

• bitterness
• distrust
• doubt
• pessimism
• sarcasm