ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cynical

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈsɪnɪkəɫ// UK //sˈɪnɪkəl// cyn·i·cal Archaic

adj. believing that people only care about themselves and are not sincere. You might feel this way if you think everyone has a hidden, selfish reason for what they do.

adj. believing that human conduct is motivated primarily by self-interest rather than integrity. Often implies a general distrust of others' motives and a pessimistic outlook on social institutions.


SIMPLE

He has a cynical view of politics and thinks all politicians lie.

CONTEXTUAL

After years of working in corporate sales, she developed a cynical attitude toward companies that claim to care about the environment.

COMPLEX

The author's cynical portrayal of the charity sector suggests that philanthropic endeavors are often little more than elaborate public relations exercises designed to obscure corporate malfeasance.

Synonyms
Origin

From Cynic + -al.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'about' when referring to specific topics or situations.

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