cynic

American  

[sin-ik] / ˈsɪn ɪk /

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

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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

• anticynic noun

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

The cabbie, a hard-bitten postcommunist cynic, asks her if she’s visiting the archives “for work or fun.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

A cynic might argue that, like pumpkin-flavored treats appearing in stores during the first week of August, these successes are merely the product of early excitement for the Halloween season.

From Salon • Oct. 23, 2025

You have the rare gift of making financial analysis feel like sitting at a bar with the smartest cynic in the room.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 17, 2025

But even a cynic might think that it would, for now, draw the line at the FTC.

From Slate • Sep. 22, 2025

She might be a natural-born cynic, but she knew the right word when she heard it.

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

Related Words

• detractor
• doubter
• pessimist
• skeptic