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
Similarly to her dad, Abby tries to bring order to her crew of oddballs and cynics, most notably former night court prosecutor Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), a character from the original series.
—
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 May 2025
Abdellatif Kechiche’s 2013 graphic lesbian love story Blue Is the Warmest Color confounded cynics by winning over a jury headed by, of all people, Steven Spielberg.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 May 2025
Ignore the cynics and their interest in intimidating ironic innovation!
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
But cynics will argue that Visa, like most payments platforms, profits from higher spend, not restrained consumption.
—Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cynic
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 9 May 2025
Abdellatif Kechiche’s 2013 graphic lesbian love story Blue Is the Warmest Color confounded cynics by winning over a jury headed by, of all people, Steven Spielberg.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 May 2025
Ignore the cynics and their interest in intimidating ironic innovation!
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
But cynics will argue that Visa, like most payments platforms, profits from higher spend, not restrained consumption.
—Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
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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In the face of international law enforcement pressure, dozens of prosecutions, and worldwide disrepute, the network of young sadists, misanthropes, child predators, and extortionists known as Com and 764 has not shrunk away into obscurity.—
Ali Winston,
WIRED,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Bryan, who selected the $100,000 winning envelope, chose to split the prize with Amaya — a decision that earned some praise but also a few critics.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
14 July 2025
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In 1984, his administration attempted to kidnap a former minister and vocal critic living in Britain.—
Benjamin Ezeamalu,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
Noun
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But even pessimists were shocked by how aggressively the new team in Washington shook things up.—
Gideon Rose,
Foreign Affairs,
23 June 2025
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But that doesn’t stop a chorus of pessimists from emerging amid periods of market volatility.—
Luke Andriuk,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Noun
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Shortly after the last of the dams was removed, freeing the Klamath's free flow in late 2024, the salmon that naysayers said would take years to journey past the old reservoirs appeared upstream almost overnight.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
21 July 2025
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With the encouragement of her fellow songwriters, Yearwood quickly disproved that long ago college naysayer by exploring her songwriting talents in writing rooms around Nashville and at her home — and concluding that self-doubt is something songwriters of all success levels struggle with.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
18 July 2025
Noun
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Indiana’s 2024 trek to the Eastern Conference Finals was met with skeptics as the team was still emerging, but that journey was validated by another deep playoff run in 2025.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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As usual, those tests will be left to the laboratory of social media, where trolls and skeptics alike wait to find out exactly what the world’s richest man has unleashed on the rest of us.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
10 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
“Cynic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynic. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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