Meaning

Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness..

Definitions by Sense

1. Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.
2. Skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others.
3. Bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking.
4. Showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions.
5. (medicine, rare) Like the actions of a snarling dog, especially in reference to facial nerve paralysis.

Example Sentences

I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received.

He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark-for instance, he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off, but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies.

When he, at Neergard's cynical suggestion, had consented to exploit his own club[…]and had consented to resign from it to do so, he had every reason to believe that Neergard meant to either mulct them heavily or buy them out. In either case, having been useful to Neergard, his profits from the transaction would have been considerable.

Towards noon, he experienced convulsive movements; the extremities became stiff, the pulse extremely small, and he died during an attack of cynical spasm.

On the contrary, in woman, the cynical spasm, though felt with as much, or even more violence than the other sex, is not followed with the same deleterious effects, and may be repeated much oftener without any unfavorable consequences.

Demetrius Attalicus studied the symptomatologies due to strictura cerebri, characterized by a cynical spasm of the facial nerve.

Something of the same sort happened at Hensberg, Germany, where the nuns were afflicted and committed the sin they called “the silent sin.” In their ecstasies, their convulsions were very violent and interspersed with “cynical movements of the pelvis.”

Word Forms

• more cynical
• most cynical

Synonyms for cynical

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When Should You Use Cynical?

Use cynical when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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