cynical
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
believing that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere.
believing that human actions are motivated primarily by self-interest; skeptical of the integrity or sincerity of others.
Simple“He has a cynical view of politics and thinks all politicians are liars.”
In context“Many voters have become cynical about the electoral process, believing that corporate interests exert more influence than the public will.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
relating to an ancient group of Greek thinkers called the Cynics.
relating to the Cynics, a school of Ancient Greek philosophy that prioritised virtue and self-control over social conventions.
Simple“The professor explained the Cynical school of thought and its influence on later philosophers.”
In context“Cynical philosophy in its original form was less about modern pessimism and more about a radical rejection of material wealth and social status.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
a rare word for a facial expression that looks like a snarling dog.
resembling the facial expression of a snarling dog, specifically in the context of facial nerve paralysis.
Simple“The old medical textbook described the patient's expression as a cynical spasm.”
In context“The term 'cynic spasm' was historically used to describe the involuntary contraction of facial muscles that mimics a canine snarl.”
“Cody Dahler, a comedian who posts sweary political explainers to his two million followers, warns voters will become cynical if they sense politicians are just using social media simply "as a comms tool".”
“The Arday case is troubling on its own terms, but it also feeds into an image of a world held hostage by “wokeness”, one that has been amplified by motivated, cynical actors.”
From Cynic + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.