cynicism

noun

cyn·​i·​cism ˈsi-nə-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce cynicism (audio)
1
capitalized : the doctrine of the Cynics (see cynic sense 2)
2
: cynical attitude or quality
Nothing could change her cynicism about politics.
also : a cynical comment or act
pungent cynicisms

Examples of cynicism in a Sentence

Nothing could change her cynicism about politics.
Recent Examples on the Web That tactic — special interests protecting their interests by attacking other special interests — may reek of off-the-charts cynicism. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Rosanne Barr: San Diego Padres vs. Cincinatti Reds 1990 One year before Houston's last gasp of unbridled patriotism, the sports world caught a glimpse of the coming wave of cynicism that would define the 1990's. James Powel, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 Yet this act of cynicism was also, perhaps, a political gift to Biden. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 And the musical’s script — with its deep cynicism of American society and our fascination with celebrity culture and true crime — feels more relevant than ever. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2024 Even the Wall Street Journal called out Trump’s interference for its cynicism. Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 31 Jan. 2024 Its cynicism about Russian motives deepened in 2018, after the Kremlin was accused of poisoning a former Russian intelligence agent and his daughter in Salisbury, England, with a nerve agent. Mark Landler, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Ordinary Iranians signaled their despair at a miserable economy, their anger over the repression of landmark protests in 2022, and their cynicism about a regime that disqualified myriad candidates who were not in Khamenei’s hard-line camp from contesting seats. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 Yet for all the attention on voting rules, concerns about the mechanics may be eclipsed by election cynicism that for some is an even stronger deterrent to voting. Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cynicism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see cynic

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cynicism was in 1663

Dictionary Entries Near cynicism

Cite this Entry

“Cynicism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cynicism. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cynicism

noun
cyn·​i·​cism ˈsin-ə-ˌsiz-əm How to pronounce cynicism (audio)
: a cynical attitude or quality
also : an expression of cynical quality
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!