Word of the day · 13 July 2026
cynical
/ˈsɪnɪkəl/
adjective
Believing people are driven mainly by self-interest; distrustful of sincerity or virtue.
In a sentence
- She gave a cynical laugh when the charity promised quick results.
- Years of broken pledges left voters cynical about reform.
- His cynical take on the merger ignored the workers who gained jobs.
In an image
Origin
From Greek Kynikos (Cynic), tied to the Cynic philosophers and popularly linked to kyōn (dog); Latin and French carried the sense into English.
History
The ancient Cynics prized a blunt life and scorned social pretense. Later English shifted cynical toward suspicion of virtue rather than a full philosophical school. A cynical remark doubts the stated reason and looks for a selfish one. Used loosely, the word can also mean bitterly mocking, which is why careful writers keep the motive-doubt sense in view.
Nearby words
skeptical · distrustful · jaded
A hard eye on motives, sometimes fair and sometimes too quick.