cynic

noun

cyn·​ic ˈsi-nik How to pronounce cynic (audio)
1
: a faultfinding captious critic
especially : one who believes that human conduct is motivated wholly by self-interest
Of course, there will always be cynics when companies make good-faith apologies and seek to follow through. Andrew Ross Sorkin
2
capitalized : an adherent of an ancient Greek school of philosophers who held the view that virtue is the only good and that its essence lies in self-control and independence
cynic adjective

Did you know?

The ancient Greece school of philosophers known as Cynics was founded by Antisthenes, a contemporary of Plato. Antisthenes is said to have taught at a gymnasium outside Athens called the Kynosarges, from which the name of the school, kynikoi, literally, “doglike ones,” may be derived. On the other hand, the name is most closely associated with the most famous Cynic philosopher, Diogenes of Sinope. Diogenes rejected social conventions and declared that whatever was natural and easy could not be indecent and therefore can and should be done in public. This shamelessness earned him the Greek epithet ho kyōn, “the dog.” In English, however, cynic and cynical have more to do with distrust of motives than shamelessness.

Examples of cynic in a Sentence

He's too much of a cynic to see the benefits of marriage. A cynic might think that the governor visited the hospital just to gain votes. Reporters who cover politics often become cynics.
Recent Examples on the Web The rationalists have become the cynics and checked out of the political system. Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2024 Interpretation isn’t baby talk but, rather, works for all audiences except children, theology professors, lapsed Mormons, and resolute cynics. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024 And those cynics would be absolutely correct, says Charles Band, the prolific B-movie icon who has been making low-budget horror comedies since the early 1970s. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Nov. 2023 Green Solution, With a New Hazard Plenty of experts — and even more cynics — agree that during the infancy of solar innovation, the question about long-term waste was somewhat eclipsed by the promise of a green alternative to fossil fuels. Tree Meinch, Discover Magazine, 2 Aug. 2023 These attacks on Iger are being exploited by ideologues and cynics, with some suggesting that Iger has already failed in his comeback and should be replaced after only six months. Time, 28 July 2023 Some cynics might suspect more-rational, if unattractive, explanations for this proposal, ranging from hyping AI (and the stock-market valuations that would go with those magic initials) to using regulation (or even just a pause) to distort the competitive landscape. The Editors, National Review, 7 Apr. 2023 At the same time, other cynics (no shortage of cynics here) point out that Michigan is a state where people roundly and loudly defend the right to own guns and carry them almost everywhere. Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, 2 Dec. 2022 The loss of the two leading cynics is a void that no amount of zingy one-liners from new characters like Seema Patel or the newly elevated Anthony Marantino can fully compensate for. Louis Staples, Harper's BAZAAR, 26 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cynic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin, Middle French cynique, from Latin cynicus, from Greek kynikos, literally, like a dog, from kyn-, kyōn dog — more at hound

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of cynic was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near cynic

Cite this Entry

“Cynic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cynic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cynic

noun
cyn·​ic ˈsin-ik How to pronounce cynic (audio)
: a person who distrusts people
especially : one who believes that people act only in self-interest
Etymology

from early French cynique or Latin cynicus, both meaning "cynic," from Greek kynikos, literally, "like a dog"

Word Origin
In ancient Greece, a certain philosopher taught that virtue was the most important goal in life. He and his pupils openly scorned wealth and pleasure. Such a philosopher was called kynikos, which literally means "like a dog." One likely reason for this name is that the group's leader taught at a school with a name that began with the same letters as in the Greek word for "dog." It is also likely that many Greeks who used kynikos for these philosophers were offended by their rudeness. Cynic has been used in English since the 16th century for such philosophers. Once cynic had appeared in English, it wasn't long before it was applied to any faultfinding critic. Later, it was used chiefly of one who doubts the sincerity of all human motives except selfishness.

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