cynicism
noun
cynical disposition, character, or belief.
cynicism
1
British
/ ˈsɪnɪˌsɪzəm /
noun
-
the attitude or beliefs of a cynic
-
a cynical action, remark, idea, etc
Cynicism
2
British
/ ˈsɪnɪˌsɪzəm /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of cynicism
Explanation
Cynicism is the feeling of distrust or that something isn't going to work out well. Some people feel cynicism when politicians make big promises. To pronounce cynicism, place the accent on the first syllable: "SIH-nuh-cih-zum." You might associate cynicism with sarcasm. Cynicism comes from believing that people are, at heart, selfish and untrustworthy. Sarcasm is the expression of negative feelings like cynicism, by expressing, for dramatic effect, the opposite of what is meant: "I'm quite sure that politician took that bribe by mistake. We all know how easy it is to overlook the sudden appearance of $2 million dollars in your checking account."
Vocabulary lists containing cynicism
Grade 10, List 1
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President Obama's Farewell Address
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1984
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
To forge better social connections, weigh whether shyness, cynicism or snap judgments of others hold you back.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
Cole’s Tyler acts practically while collapsing into a black hole of cynicism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Two of America’s most idealistic presidents, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, followed an era of Johnsonian-Nixonian cynicism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
And even if that fact might make you depressed, scrolling will deplete one’s cynicism until it’s replaced by another attention-grabbing post.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026
Moss wanted to trust his instincts, but that was the problem with his cynicism.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Cynicism ahead of the Games is not a new thing, though.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Appeared in the June 16, 2026, print edition as 'Trump, Cynicism and the Deal'.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Cynicism about chili crisps predates this recent trademark dispute.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2024
Cynicism abounds as investment companies relabel existing funds with vague sustainability markers and then raise the fees they charge.
From New York Times ● Jan. 30, 2023
Cynicism or conventionality may for a long period encrust a man, but there comes a time when the heart will have its way.
From Victor Hugo: His Life and Works by G. Barnett Smith
The girls' faces are fresh and untouched by the indulgences and cynicisms of city life.
From BBC ● Nov. 23, 2014
Gold will be accused of twin cynicisms – of jumping on the Olympics bandwagon and of manipulating its audience's emotions.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 2, 2012
America's discussion and debate, its hopes and cynicisms about the post-war world, moved last week to a new plane.
From Time Magazine Archive
And golfers are as prone as the police to develop fatalistic cynicisms about their fellow men.
From Time Magazine Archive
I just wish you could have heard him fire up the other day, when Kenwick got off one of his cynicisms at the expense of Abraham Lincoln.
From A Venetian June by Anna Fuller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
