as in critics
a person who distrusts other people and believes that everything is done for selfish reasons
a cynic who believes that nobody does a good deed without expecting something in return
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Recent Examples of cynics
Of course, cynics would say this is an easy way to get laughs, but Galifianakis’ quick wit ensures the unfiltered youngsters don’t always take center stage.
—
Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
The cynics are figures like Sam Bankman-Fried, who built a fortune off of a crypto exchange called FTX, which crashed and burned in the fall of 2022, eventually sending Bankman-Fried to prison for fraud.
—Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
However, those cynics didn’t sound as enlightened when the Rockets were up 18 early in the fourth quarter Saturday night.
—William Guillory, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
This is not a home for doomers, cynics, or know-it-alls.
—Daphne Koller, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
The belief by cynics is that Netflix wants to be a streaming service.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2025
On the other hand, skeptics and cynics tend to be insistent right now that the clean-up activity is not going to last very long.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Travis Kelce knows what the cynics might think of his relationship with Taylor Swift — two of the most famous people in America just happen to match up perfectly?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025
Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
The cynics are figures like Sam Bankman-Fried, who built a fortune off of a crypto exchange called FTX, which crashed and burned in the fall of 2022, eventually sending Bankman-Fried to prison for fraud.
—Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
However, those cynics didn’t sound as enlightened when the Rockets were up 18 early in the fourth quarter Saturday night.
—William Guillory, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
This is not a home for doomers, cynics, or know-it-alls.
—Daphne Koller, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
The belief by cynics is that Netflix wants to be a streaming service.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2025
On the other hand, skeptics and cynics tend to be insistent right now that the clean-up activity is not going to last very long.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Travis Kelce knows what the cynics might think of his relationship with Taylor Swift — two of the most famous people in America just happen to match up perfectly?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cynics
Noun
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But critics of this effort say this internal mechanism fails to provide meaningful accountability and would protect wrongdoers from any future state bar investigation.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
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But Rotten Tomatoes scores are averaged from professional film critics, while Academy voters are film professionals — two disparate groups.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Mumble rap has long been critiqued for its illegibility—a quality that, as scholar Heidi Lewis has argued, naysayers have long cited to marginalize and malign hip-hop.—
James Gui,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2026
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Despite the naysayers, Johnson appears excited to be joining a championship contender with the Fever.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Steel yourself; the pessimists will have gravitas.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
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January’s 130,000 gain quieted the pessimists, proving that the labor market had found a floor.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The story follows a rag-tag group of misanthropes who attempt to rob jewels from the Vatican.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
10 Mar. 2026
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Clavicular is the poster child—though by no means the most extreme representative—of the looksmaxxing movement, the latest permutation of an ideology developed by too online misogynist misanthropes in the twenty-tens.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cynics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cynics. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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