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  1. Dictionary
    cynical
    /ˈsɪnɪkl/

    adjective

    • 1. believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity: "he was brutally cynical and hardened to every sob story under the sun"
    • 2. concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted standards in order to achieve them: "a cynical manipulation of public opinion"

    More definitions, origin and scrabble points

  2. May 15, 2013 · The examples reported from the NOAD of sentences containing cynical or skeptical are the following: Most residents are cynical about efforts to clean mobsters out of their city. He gave a cynical laugh. Stalin had struck a cynical deal with Hitler. The public were deeply skeptical about some of the proposals.

  3. Irony: Something that you particularly don't expect (for any reason) happens. Sarcasm:Saying one thing, and actually meaning the opposite, in a mean way. Cynicism: Insulting someone in a very painful, rude way. Also, having absolutely no positive feelings towards something (being cynical). However, this is what I am taught now, and it just ...

  4. Jan 25, 2023 · The dictionary definition of cynical is: believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity. However, there is an additional bullet point under this definition that says: contemptuous; mocking. I fail to understand how these two definitions are related.

  5. The phrase is used in To Kill a Mockingbird. The witnesses for the state, with the exception of the sheriff of Maycomb County, have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption— the evil assumption that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are ...

  6. Oct 27, 2014 · People who don’t like him said he was very sarcastic. Cynical -sentence usage examples. Antonyms: Credulous,gullible,hopeful,optimistic,trustful,unskeptical,unsuspecting (etc.) He must have been pretty gullible to fall for that old trick. I feel hopeful that we’ll find a suitable house very soon.

  7. Feb 14, 2011 · Sardonic: grimly mocking or cynical. She wrote sarcastic comments on their failures. She's witty and sarcastic. Starkey attempted a sardonic smile. The differences between the words are: sardonic doesn't implicate the use of irony; sarcastic is not used referring something/somebody cynical; sarcastic doesn't implicate a grim (sad or relentless ...

  8. The OED offers this definition: Resembling the Cynic philosophers in contempt of pleasure, churlishness, or disposition to find fault; characteristic of a cynic; surly, currish, misanthropic, captious; now esp. disposed to disbelieve in human sincerity or goodness; sneering.

  9. Jan 1, 2016 · Upon a quick google search 'hard-boiled' means tough and cynical even though it doesn't say that this is a disapproving term. One of the synonyms of this word is ' hardened ' which means 'very experienced in a particular job or activity and therefore not easily upset by its more unpleasant aspects' which seems like an admirable quality to have for likes of a soldier, militant or an inspector.

  10. Mar 5, 2011 · Meaning. These are the closest definitions: verb (used with object) 23. to cause to appear different from the reality: In order to influence the jury, he colored his account of what had happened. 24. to give a special character or distinguishing quality to: His personal feelings color his writing.

  11. Apr 16, 2017 · "Wry" evolved from a meaning of "to twist". Applied to humor, it refers to humor that is bitterly or disdainfully ironic or amusing; distorted or perverted in meaning; warped, misdirected, or perverse; words that are unsuitable or wrong; scornful and mocking in a humorous way--it covers a lot of territory (see WordReference.com).