misanthropic
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of a misanthrope.
- Synonyms:
- surly, morose, unfriendly, antisocial
-
characterized by misanthropy.
Other Word Forms
- misanthropically adverb
- unmisanthropic adjective
- unmisanthropical adjective
- unmisanthropically adverb
Etymology
Origin of misanthropic
First recorded in 1755–65; misanthrope + -ic
Explanation
A misanthropic person does not like people and expects the worst of them. It would be misanthropic of you to say that every human being is a greedy, selfish liar. The Greek word for human is anthropos and misein means "to hate", so to be misanthropic is hate humans, to consider them bad or wrong. Being misanthropic is more than just a bad mood, it's a way of looking at the world. Your misanthropic uncle, who has lived alone for decades and despises babies and kittens, seems to have taken a liking to you. This causes you some concern.
Vocabulary lists containing misanthropic
"Should Literature Be Useful?"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Field Guide to the North American Teenager
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: mis
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
I was just talking to an actor friend and we both realized that we were drawn, at nine and 10 years old, to these almost dour, misanthropic, middle-aged characters.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025
Mr. David descends from a long line of misanthropic American comic minds—Fred Allen, W.C.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025
She also turns out to be no pushover herself, yet even she sees the Freemans as misanthropic freaks.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2025
To everyone else, however, he seems to be so weighed down with resentment it's turned him misanthropic and, well, weird.
From Salon • Sep. 5, 2024
There was more left to explore, but suddenly it seemed like a waste of time; it was impossible that anyone could still be living here, even the most misanthropic recluse.
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
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.
