cynical

adjective
UK: /ˈsɪn.ɪ.kəl/
US: /ˈsɪn.ɪ.kəl/

  1. Believing that people are generally selfish and dishonest.

    1. He's cynical about politicians and their promises.
    2. I'm deeply cynical about the ability of governments to solve this problem.

  2. Doubtful or distrustful of accepted standards or the sincerity of others.

    1. She has a cynical view of human nature so she's often disappointed.
    2. Even the most cynical observer would have to admit that it's working.

Synonyms

pessimistic skeptical doubtful distrustful scornful contemptuous
cynical noun

  1. A person who believes the worst of people's behavior and motives.

    1. He is such a cynical person.
    2. Don't be a cynical, it's not always bad in this world.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "cynical" in English means: Believing that people are generally selfish and dishonest., Doubtful or distrustful of accepted standards or the sincerity of others..

The phonetic transcription of "cynical" is /ˈsɪn.ɪ.kəl/ in British English and /ˈsɪn.ɪ.kəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "cynical": pessimistic, skeptical, doubtful, distrustful, scornful, contemptuous.

Example usage of "cynical": "He's cynical about politicians and their promises.". More examples on the page.