cynicism
noun
cyn·i·cism
ˈsi-nə-ˌsi-zəm 
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
Moten makes Maximus a wonderfully endearing doofus, and Arias brings a mournful cynicism to Norm, who seems to be the only resident of Vault 33 who was born without an inherent sense of purpose.
—
Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2024
And yet, without spoiling the ending,The People’s Joker does not fall into the trap of cynicism that so plagued Phillips’ Joker.
—Abraham Josephine Riesman, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
Its failure gave the White House an opportunity to present Biden as a pragmatist thwarted by Republican cynicism.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2024
What that cynicism means in practice: an emphasis on work-life balance.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
The very cynicism Rose is peddling from under his all-white Reds hat is partially a product of his own malfeasance.
—Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2024
There is only a loss of innocence, a summer of purgatory and the sad cynicism surrounding a man previously known in Japan as, kanpeki na hito.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Readers, too, might have struggled against cynicism.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024
Pavement’s signature ‘90s slacker cynicism about the music industry came through most clearly on their biggest hit, shortly after Matador Records risked its indie cred to sign a partnership with major label Atlantic.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 20 Feb. 2024
Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2024
And yet, without spoiling the ending,The People’s Joker does not fall into the trap of cynicism that so plagued Phillips’ Joker.
—Abraham Josephine Riesman, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
Its failure gave the White House an opportunity to present Biden as a pragmatist thwarted by Republican cynicism.
—Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2024
What that cynicism means in practice: an emphasis on work-life balance.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
The very cynicism Rose is peddling from under his all-white Reds hat is partially a product of his own malfeasance.
—Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2024
There is only a loss of innocence, a summer of purgatory and the sad cynicism surrounding a man previously known in Japan as, kanpeki na hito.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Readers, too, might have struggled against cynicism.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024
Pavement’s signature ‘90s slacker cynicism about the music industry came through most clearly on their biggest hit, shortly after Matador Records risked its indie cred to sign a partnership with major label Atlantic.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 20 Feb. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near cynicism
Cite this Entry
“Cynicism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cynicism. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cynicism
noun
cyn·i·cism
ˈsin-ə-ˌsiz-əm
: a cynical attitude or quality
also
: an expression of cynical quality
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