as in ironical
having or showing a deep distrust of human beings and their motives
so cynical that he can't understand why anyone would volunteer to help out at a homeless shelter
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Recent Examples of cynical
That, or like a cynical attempt to keep the franchise going, even though nobody seemed all that enthusiastic about Season Two.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2025
Channel a cynical industry veteran who's seen it all.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Everything promised by his new venture suggests a breakthrough in the most cynical sense: an advancement prioritizing ease of use, designed to make the old way extinct in its pursuit of maximum efficiency.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 17 June 2025
Too often, leaders are stuck between moral maximalism and cynical cost-cutting.
—Hec Paris Insights, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynical
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2025
Channel a cynical industry veteran who's seen it all.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Everything promised by his new venture suggests a breakthrough in the most cynical sense: an advancement prioritizing ease of use, designed to make the old way extinct in its pursuit of maximum efficiency.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 17 June 2025
Too often, leaders are stuck between moral maximalism and cynical cost-cutting.
—Hec Paris Insights, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynical
Adjective
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This is all very ironic because the literal plot of KPop Demon Hunters is about a group of global protectors, HUNTR/X, who shield the world from demons with the love of their fans.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
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Douglass’s decision to speak on July 5, deliberately after Independence Day celebrations, symbolically underscored his argument: America’s celebration of freedom was bitterly ironic and deeply hypocritical in the context of slavery and racial oppression.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Mamdani joined her for a sarcastic infomercial on her account, criticizing Mayor Adams’ record.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
26 June 2025
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Teaming up with Rebels like the enigmatic Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the sarcastic droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), Jyn’s quest for salvation and redemption runs right up to the beginning of the original film, Star Wars: A New Hope.—
Mekishana Pierre,
EW.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Tennesseans are generally, and understandably, pessimistic.—
Andrea Williams,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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Veteran workers, in contrast, are more pessimistic about the tools and the impact of AI on their jobs, according to surveys.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Kotsay said Wilson has a left wrist contusion, but that X-rays returned negative and that Wilson would be day-to-day.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
10 July 2025
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The numbers say he’s been toward the back of the pack, though, and that’s on top of a negative grade on the bases and a below average bat.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Wood starred as hopeless romantic Chelsea, who was on vacation with her older, misanthropic boyfriend Rick (Walton Goggins).—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
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Brief yet dense and full of misanthropic humor, Portal holds the hell up nearly twenty years later.—
Joshua Rivera,
Vulture,
6 May 2025
Adjective
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That included 83% of Democrats but just 33% of Republicans, who tend to be more skeptical of climate change.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
6 July 2025
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Lee also points out North Korea's poor infrastructure and vulnerability to geopolitical fluctuations as reasons to be skeptical about its tourism ambitions.—
Se Eun Gong,
NPR,
5 July 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
“Cynical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynical. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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