adj
cynical
SIH-nih-kuhl
adj
1
Distrustful of people's sincerity, believing that self-interest is the real motive behind most actions.
"She grew cynical about politics after years of broken promises."
"It was a cynical marketing ploy dressed up as a charity campaign."
How to Use Cynical
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDoubting that people or actions are genuinely good, and assuming self-interest instead.
Common pairings
cynical view
cynical about
grow cynical
Word Forms
more cynical comparative, most cynical superlative
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Etymology
From Latin cynicus, itself from Ancient Greek kunikos ("doglike"), the same root as the ancient philosophical school the Cynics.