as in misanthrope
a person who distrusts other people and believes that everything is done for selfish reasons
a cynic who believes that nobody does a good deed without expecting something in return
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cynic
Thus, the Rock Hall is surely more excited at the prospect of inducting current megastars like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga than appeasing its cynics.
—
Troy Smith, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025
Other cynics tend to follow suit, sitting out elections and social movements more often than non-cynics.
—Jamil Zaki, TIME, 3 Sep. 2024
In the verses, Bradley Cooper and Gaga’s lyrics and vocal lines are mirrored — two world-weary cynics serenading each other.
—Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
Into this void emerge the cynics and the snake-oil merchants, the dreamers, the circumventers, the guileful peddlers of One Weird Tricks.
—Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cynic
Troy Smith, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025
Other cynics tend to follow suit, sitting out elections and social movements more often than non-cynics.
—Jamil Zaki, TIME, 3 Sep. 2024
In the verses, Bradley Cooper and Gaga’s lyrics and vocal lines are mirrored — two world-weary cynics serenading each other.
—Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
Into this void emerge the cynics and the snake-oil merchants, the dreamers, the circumventers, the guileful peddlers of One Weird Tricks.
—Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cynic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynic
Noun
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Edward is a misanthrope and a scold (The Imitation Game).—
Graham Hillard,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Feb. 2025
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The late Swiss writer Markus Werner’s bleakly funny The Frog in the Throat, first published forty years ago, is a parallel portrait of father-and-son misanthropes and seems to speak directly to our moment.—
James Gleick,
The New York Review of Books,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In recent years, DAFs have received a bad rap, with critics citing that people only use them for tax benefits.—
Matt Nash,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
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Never mind that critics had never gone mad for the show.—
Marley Marius,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Studies show that optimists, compared to pessimists, have lower stress levels, move faster up the career ladder, have fewer health complaints and live longer.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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Optimists are also less likely to experience chronic diseases, depression, and other mental illnesses compared to pessimists.—
Contributed Content,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Most importantly, for the naysayers that don’t believe an all-electric muscle car can be as enjoyable as the gas-only versions of the past: try one out.—
Kristin Shaw,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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And despite naysayers, the genre – and all its subgenres, from contemporary cowboy romance to dark romance with morally grey leads to STEMinist rom-coms – is only growing.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Some skeptics worry that, despite high-profile attendance and dialogue, the practical impact might be limited without immediate legislative follow-up.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
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And yet, the chorus of PGT-A skeptics is getting louder.—
Jamie Ducharme,
TIME,
6 Mar. 2025
Video
The History of 'Cynic'
How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.
Cite this Entry
“Cynic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynic. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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