Synonyms of cynical

cynical

adjective

ˈsi-ni-kəl 

as in ironic

having or showing a deep distrust of human beings and their motives

so cynical that he can't understand why anyone would volunteer to help out at a homeless shelter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ironic
• sarcastic
• pessimistic
• negative
• misanthropic
• skeptical
• suspicious
• sardonic
• negativistic
• mocking
• derisive
• fatalistic
• distrustful
• mistrustful
• scornful
• defeatist
• jaded
• negativist
• worldly-wise
• unsentimental
• sophisticated
• hard-bitten
• hard-edged
• hard-boiled
• hardcase

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• optimistic
• positive
• cheerful
• naive
• trustful
• trusting
• unsuspicious
• uncynical
• positivistic
• positivist
• unsophisticated
• ingenuous
• idealistic
• innocent
• romantic
• impractical
• sentimental
• saccharine
• sappy
• rose-colored
• mushy
• maudlin

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective cynical differ from other similar words?

The words misanthropic and pessimistic are common synonyms of cynical. While all three words mean "deeply distrustful," cynical implies having a sneering disbelief in sincerity or integrity.

cynical about politicians' motives

When is misanthropic a more appropriate choice than cynical?

Although the words misanthropic and cynical have much in common, misanthropic suggests a rooted distrust and dislike of human beings and their society.

a solitary and misanthropic artist

In what contexts can pessimistic take the place of cynical?

In some situations, the words pessimistic and cynical are roughly equivalent. However, pessimistic implies having a gloomy, distrustful view of life.

pessimistic about the future

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cynical

Along came a cynical populist-nationalist politician, Viktor Orbán. —John Shattuck, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026

Ursula has a big-picture understanding of the way the world works that’s cynical if not entirely inaccurate. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026

Movies grew darker, more cynical, more reflective of national anxiety—not necessarily because oil prices demanded it, but because the mood of a country grappling with Vietnam and political upheaval did. —Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026

The result is a movie where the jokes are just mean, and the meanness isn’t funny, leading to a cynical denouement that’s been done many times before. —Katie Rife, IndieWire, 16 Mar. 2026

Video

The History of 'Cynic'

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.