cynic

noun

A person who believes that all people are motivated by selfishness.

A person whose outlook is scornfully negative.

A member of a sect of Ancient Greek philosophers who believed virtue to be the only good and self-control to be the only means of achieving virtue.

adjective

cynical (in all senses)

(not comparable) Relating to the Dog Star.

Of or relating to the Cynics.

Roots

kynikoscynic- · Greek · dog-like

Synonyms for cynic

pessimistn misanthropen misanthropistn nihilistn detractorn defeatistn negativistn killjoyn

Synonyms & related words for cynic

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of cynic — including pessimist, misanthrope, misanthropist, nihilist, detractor, defeatist. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to cynic

Explore words related to cynic — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include faultfinder, cynical, cynicism, skeptic, misanthropic, cynically, naysayer, curmudgeon. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for cynic

Common synonyms for cynic include pessimist, misanthrope, misanthropist, nihilist, detractor, defeatist, negativist, killjoy — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does cynic come from?

The word cynic breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root cynic-, from Greek kynikos (“dog-like”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.