adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈsɪnɪkəl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
homophone: sinical
rhymes with -ɪnɪkəl
CMU ARPABET:S IH1 N IH0 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Like the actions of a snarling dog, especially in reference to facial nerve paralysis.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Of or relating to the Cynics, 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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: misanthropic, misanthropical
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Originated 1542, from Classical Latin cynicus (“Cynic/cynic”, adjective) + -al. By surface analysis, cynic + -al. In reference to dogs, with allusion to the ultimate etymology (Ancient Greek κυνικός (kunikós, “doglike”)).
Etymology tree English Cynic Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English Cynical From Cynic + -al.
Across languages
Translations
45 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
سَاخِر
(sāḵir)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Armenian:
ցինիկ
(cʻinik)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Belarusian:
цыні́чны
(cyníčny)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Bulgarian:
цини́чен
(ciníčen)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Catalan:
cínic
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Chinese Mandarin:
玩世不恭
(wánshìbùgōng)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Czech:
cynický
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Danish:
kynisk
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Dutch:
cynisch
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Finnish:
kyyninen
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
French:
cynique
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Galician:
cínico
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Greek:
κυνικός
(kynikós)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Greek:
ωμός
(omós)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Italian:
cinico
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Japanese:
皮肉な
(hiniku na)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Korean:
냉소적
(naengsojeok)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Korean:
랭소적
(raengsojeok)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Macedonian:
циничен
(ciničen)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Malay:
sinis
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Māori:
pūhohe
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Norwegian Bokmål:
kynisk
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Norwegian Nynorsk:
kynisk
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Polish:
cyniczny
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Portuguese:
cínico
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Romanian:
cinic
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Russian:
цини́чный
(ciníčnyj)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Scottish Gaelic:
dranndanach
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Scottish Gaelic:
searbhasach
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Serbo-Croatian:
цѝничан
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Serbo-Croatian:
cìničan
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Slovak:
cynický
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Slovene:
ciničen
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Spanish:
cínico
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Spanish:
resabiado
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Spanish:
resabioso
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Spanish:
sotreta
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Swedish:
cynisk
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Turkish:
küçümseyici
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Turkish:
sinik
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Turkish:
kinik
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Ukrainian:
цині́чний
(cyníčnyj)
— of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated by base desires or selfishness
Esperanto:
seniluzia
— skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others
German:
zynisch
— bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking
German:
zynisch
— showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions