cynic

[ sin-ik ]

/ ˈsɪn ɪk /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR cynic ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.

(initial capital letter) one of a sect of Greek philosophers, 4th century b.c., who advocated the doctrines that virtue is the only good, that the essence of virtue is self-control, and that surrender to any external influence is beneath human dignity.

a person who shows or expresses a bitterly or sneeringly cynical attitude.

adjective

cynical.

(initial capital letter)Also Cynical. of or relating to the Cynics or their doctrines.

Medicine/Medical Now Rare. resembling the actions of a snarling dog.

Origin of cynic

1540–50; <Latin Cynicus <Greek Kynikós Cynic, literally, doglike, currish, equivalent to kyn- (stem of kýōn ) dog + -ikos -ic

SYNONYMS FOR cynic

1, 3 skeptic, pessimist, misanthrope.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR cynic ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM cynic

an·ti·cyn·ic, noun, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH cynic

cynic , optimist, pessimist, skeptic

Words nearby cynic

Cymru, Cymry, cynanche, Cynewulf, cynghanedd, cynic, cynical, cynicism, cynic spasm, cyno-, cynocephaly

Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for cynic

You, dear reader and refusenik, will likely be called a cynic or a sad sack by friends.
The Refuseniks Hiding From ‘Happy New Year’|Lizzie Crocker|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A cynic might say that the report is like the movie Clue, perfectly set up for a multiplicity of endings.
New York’s Conservative Fracking Ban|Jay Michaelson|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Putin, after all, is not the only cynic on center stage in the Ukraine crisis.
Putin Can Take Ukraine Without an Invasion, and Probably Will|Jamie Dettmer|April 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At her core as both a mother and a politician was a guiding emotion that would make a cynic scoff.
Remembering Ma Laureys, the Mother of 10 Christie Slandered to Win His First Election|Michael Daly|January 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Distrustful of engaging fully, the cynic engages superficially, gets the drug he needs, and moves along.
Boys Don’t Cry: In Praise of Sentiment|Andrew Sean Greer|June 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He went to Athens and became a philosopher of the Cynic school, which see, as a disciple of Antisthenes.
The Works of Lucian of Samosata, v. 4|Lucian of Samosata
But Bellegarde's confidences greatly amused him, and rarely displeased him, for the generous young Frenchman was not a cynic.
The American|Henry James
His impression was not the cynic's impression of these wide shallows of activity.
Marriage|H. G. Wells
In 1783 he died the death of Diogenes, minus the wit of the cynic.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete|Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
But as for your man who thinks, if he shows energy and originality we call him a cynic.
The Red and the Black|Stendhal

British Dictionary definitions for cynic (1 of 2)

cynic

/ (ˈsɪnɪk) /

noun

a person who believes the worst about people or the outcome of events

adjective

a less common word for cynical

astronomy of or relating to Sirius, the Dog Star

Word Origin for cynic

C16: via Latin from Greek Kunikos, from kuōn dog

British Dictionary definitions for cynic (2 of 2)

Cynic

/ (ˈsɪnɪk) /

noun

a member of a sect founded by Antisthenes that scorned worldly things and held that self-control was the key to the only good

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

单词	cynic
释义	cynic [ sin-ik ] / ˈsɪn ɪk / SEE SYNONYMS FOR cynic ON THESAURUS.COM noun a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view. (initial capital letter) one of a sect of Greek philosophers, 4th century b.c., who advocated the doctrines that virtue is the only good, that the essence of virtue is self-control, and that surrender to any external influence is beneath human dignity. a person who shows or expresses a bitterly or sneeringly cynical attitude. adjective cynical. (initial capital letter)Also Cynical. of or relating to the Cynics or their doctrines. Medicine/Medical Now Rare. resembling the actions of a snarling dog. Origin of cynic 1540–50; <Latin Cynicus <Greek Kynikós Cynic, literally, doglike, currish, equivalent to kyn- (stem of kýōn ) dog + -ikos -ic SYNONYMS FOR cynic 1, 3 skeptic, pessimist, misanthrope. SEE SYNONYMS FOR cynic ON THESAURUS.COM OTHER WORDS FROM cynic an·ti·cyn·ic, noun, adjective WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH cynic cynic , optimist, pessimist, skeptic Words nearby cynic Cymru, Cymry, cynanche, Cynewulf, cynghanedd, cynic, cynical, cynicism, cynic spasm, cyno-, cynocephaly Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020 Example sentences from the Web for cynic You, dear reader and refusenik, will likely be called a cynic or a sad sack by friends. The Refuseniks Hiding From ‘Happy New Year’\|Lizzie Crocker\|December 31, 2014\|DAILY BEAST A cynic might say that the report is like the movie Clue, perfectly set up for a multiplicity of endings. New York’s Conservative Fracking Ban\|Jay Michaelson\|December 20, 2014\|DAILY BEAST Putin, after all, is not the only cynic on center stage in the Ukraine crisis. Putin Can Take Ukraine Without an Invasion, and Probably Will\|Jamie Dettmer\|April 12, 2014\|DAILY BEAST At her core as both a mother and a politician was a guiding emotion that would make a cynic scoff. Remembering Ma Laureys, the Mother of 10 Christie Slandered to Win His First Election\|Michael Daly\|January 23, 2014\|DAILY BEAST Distrustful of engaging fully, the cynic engages superficially, gets the drug he needs, and moves along. Boys Don’t Cry: In Praise of Sentiment\|Andrew Sean Greer\|June 26, 2013\|DAILY BEAST He went to Athens and became a philosopher of the Cynic school, which see, as a disciple of Antisthenes. The Works of Lucian of Samosata, v. 4\|Lucian of Samosata But Bellegarde's confidences greatly amused him, and rarely displeased him, for the generous young Frenchman was not a cynic. The American\|Henry James His impression was not the cynic's impression of these wide shallows of activity. Marriage\|H. G. Wells In 1783 he died the death of Diogenes, minus the wit of the cynic. The Memoires of Casanova, Complete\|Jacques Casanova de Seingalt But as for your man who thinks, if he shows energy and originality we call him a cynic. The Red and the Black\|Stendhal British Dictionary definitions for cynic (1 of 2) cynic / (ˈsɪnɪk) / noun a person who believes the worst about people or the outcome of events adjective a less common word for cynical astronomy of or relating to Sirius, the Dog Star Word Origin for cynic C16: via Latin from Greek Kunikos, from kuōn dog British Dictionary definitions for cynic (2 of 2) Cynic / (ˈsɪnɪk) / noun a member of a sect founded by Antisthenes that scorned worldly things and held that self-control was the key to the only good Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Words related to cynic skeptic, doubter, pessimist, detractor, unbeliever, questioner, misanthropist, caviler, misanthrope, carper, egoist, misogynist, egotist, sneerer, misogamist, disbeliever, mocker, scoffer, flouter, satirist
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cynic

noun

adjective

Origin of cynic

SYNONYMS FOR cynic

OTHER WORDS FROM cynic

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH cynic

Words nearby cynic

Example sentences from the Web for cynic

British Dictionary definitions for cynic (1 of 2)

noun

adjective

Word Origin for cynic

British Dictionary definitions for cynic (2 of 2)

noun

Words related to cynic