cynical
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cyn·i·cal
(sĭn′ĭ-kəl)adj.
1. Believing or showing the belief that people are motivated chiefly by base or selfish concerns; skeptical of the motives of others: a cynical dismissal of the politician's promise to reform the campaign finance system.
2. Selfishly or callously calculating: showed a cynical disregard for the safety of his troops in his efforts to advance his reputation.
3. Negative or pessimistic, as from world-weariness: a cynical view of the average voter's intelligence.
4. Expressing jaded or scornful skepticism or negativity: cynical laughter.
cyn′i·cal·ly adv.
cyn′i·cal·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cynical
(ˈsɪnɪkəl)adj
1. distrustful or contemptuous of virtue, esp selflessness in others; believing the worst of others, esp that all acts are selfish
2. sarcastic; mocking
3. showing contempt for accepted standards of behaviour, esp of honesty or morality: the politician betrayed his promises in a cynical way.
ˈcynically adv
ˈcynicalness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
cyn•i•cal
(ˈsɪn ɪ kəl)adj.
1. distrusting or disparaging the motives or sincerity of others.
2. showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality, esp. by actions that exploit the scruples of others.
3. bitterly or sneeringly distrustful, contemptuous, or pessimistic.
4. (cap.) cynic.
[1580–90]
cyn′i•cal•ly, adv.
cyn′i•cal•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Adj. | 1. | cynical - believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others distrustful - having or showing distrust; "a man of distrustful nature"; "my experience...in other fields of law has made me distrustful of rules of thumb generally"- B.N.Cardozo; "vigilant and distrustful superintendence"- Thomas Jefferson |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
cynical
adjective
1. sceptical, mocking, ironic, sneering, pessimistic, scoffing, contemptuous, sarcastic, sardonic, scornful, distrustful, derisive, misanthropic He has a very cynical view of the world.
sceptical trusting, green, optimistic, hopeful, unsuspecting, gullible, credulous, trustful, unsceptical
sceptical trusting, green, optimistic, hopeful, unsuspecting, gullible, credulous, trustful, unsceptical
2. unbelieving, sceptical, disillusioned, pessimistic, disbelieving, mistrustful My experiences have made me cynical about relationships.
unbelieving optimistic, hopeful
unbelieving optimistic, hopeful
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
cynical
adjectiveThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
ساخِر، تَهَكُّمـي
cynický
kynisk
ciničan
háîskur, bituryrtur, kÿnískur
cinikasciniškaiciniškascinizmas
cinisks
cynický
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
cynical
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
cynical
[ˈsɪnɪk/əl] adj → cinico/aCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
cynical
(ˈsinikəl) adjective inclined to believe the worst, especially about people. a cynical attitude.
ˈcynically adverbˈcynic noun
a person who believes the worst about everyone. He is a cynic – he thinks no-one is really unselfish.
ˈcynicism (-sizəm) nounKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.