Thesaurus: cynical

Related headwords

Definitions

1. a. Having the qualities of a surly dog; snarling; captious; currish.
2. a. Pertaining to the Dog Star; as, the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle.
3. a. Belonging to the sect of philosophers called cynics; having the qualities of a cynic; pertaining to, or resembling, the doctrines of the cynics.
4. a. Given to sneering at rectitude and the conduct of life by moral principles; disbelieving in the reality of any human purposes which are not suggested or directed by self-interest or self-indulgence; as, a cynical man who scoffs at pretensions of integrity; characterized by such opinions; as, cynical views of human nature.
5. adj. believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others
6. 1. Having the qualities of a surly dog; snarling; captious; currish. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received. Johnson. 2. Pertaining to the Dog Star; as, the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle. 3. Belonging to the sect of philosophers called cynics; having the qualities of a cynic; pertaining to, or resembling, the doctrines of the cynics. 4. Given to sneering at rectitude and the conduct of life by moral principles; disbelieving in the reality of any human purposes which are not suggested or directed by self-interest or self-indulgence; as, a cynical man who scoffs at pretensions of integrity; characterized by such opinions; as, cynical views of human nature. Note: In prose, cynical is used rather than cynic, in the senses 1 and 4. Cynic spasm (Med.), a convulsive contraction of the muscles of one side of the face, producing a sort of grin, suggesting certain movements in the upper lip of a dog.
7. j:100 s. believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others