ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsCcynical
ISEE/SSAThard
cynical
Meaning: distrustful of people's motives, believing they act only from self-interest
cynical in a sentence
How cynical is used in real sentences:
After being lied to twice, he grew cynical about his coworkers' promises.
His cynical remarks about charity suggested he doubted anyone's motives were pure.
“Polk's opponents were cynical about his motives, suspecting that talk of defense disguised a desire for territory; yet many deemed Mexico's refusal to recognize Texas unacceptable and would not condone it.”
— from the passage Where the River Moved
Synonyms for cynical
Other words for cynical — skeptical, distrustful and jaded — carry the same meaning.
Antonyms of cynical
Words that mean the opposite of cynical:
- trusting
- optimistic
Where it comes from
From Greek kynikos "dog-like," name of an ancient philosophical school
Memory hook
CYNIC-AL -- a cynic always assumes the worst about people.