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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Examples of cynic in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
Some cynics of our acquaintance have argued this is just a way to sell a massive construction delay.
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The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Sep. 2024
Once again, this stands in contrast to the prognostications of some cynics.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, TIME, 23 Sep. 2024
Perhaps, but cynics saw the letter as self-serving.
—Daniel Immerwahr, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2024
Reports of this plan were toasted by professional cynics with a similar whine.
—Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cynic 
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Sep. 2024
Once again, this stands in contrast to the prognostications of some cynics.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian, TIME, 23 Sep. 2024
Perhaps, but cynics saw the letter as self-serving.
—Daniel Immerwahr, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2024
Reports of this plan were toasted by professional cynics with a similar whine.
—Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cynic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynic
Noun
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Their characters, a panoply of misanthropes and weirdos, are often trapped in the prisons of their past.Holden Seidlitz, The New Yorker, 10 June 2024
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Continuously caught off guard by Lena’s seemingly naive openness, the misanthrope and old drunkard unexpectedly captivates her with his remarkable talent for writing.Annika Pham, Variety, 18 May 2024
Noun
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That’s helping fund deforestation and large-scale dairy farms, the critics said.Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
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Last fall, she was censured for her rhetoric on the Israel-Hamas war, which critics condemned as anti-Semitic.Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Refuse to Magnify the Madness Optimists face the same storms as pessimists but emerge better off.Margie Warrell, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
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The pessimists believe that robots will take over human jobs, putting millions out of work.Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Attendees heard inspirational talks from Maria Shriver and Jamie Kern Lima, the co-founder of IT Cosmetics who triumphed over several naysayers and eventually sold her thriving business for $1.2 billion.Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024
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In the years between the Olympics, naysayers had criticized the gold medalist for choosing to step back and focus on her mental health.Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The county, which has transitioned in recent decades from a solidly Republican swath to a more political diverse region, has its share of election skeptics.Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
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The jury is out on whether this is the case, but the investor skeptics regarding the CSRD isn’t an encouraging sign.Robert G. Eccles, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Video
The History of 'Cynic'
How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.
Thesaurus Entries Near cynic
Cite this Entry
“Cynic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynic. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
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