cynic Definition
cynic (sin′ik)
noun
- a member of a school of ancient Greek philosophers who held virtue to be the only good and stressed independence from worldly needs and pleasures: they became critical of the rest of society and its material interests
- a cynical person
Etymology: L Cynicus < Gr kynikos, lit., doglike, as if < kyōn, dog (see hound), nickname of Diogenes, but prob. in allusion to the Kynosarges, a gymnasium where the Cynics taught (< kyōn + argos, lit., white dog, so named after an animal in a myth concerning Hercules, to whom the gymnasium was sacred)
adjective
- of or like the Cynics or their doctrines
- cynical
cynic Synonyms
cynic
n.
cynic Usage Examples
Converse of object
- hear: The Craft of Writing Romance Jean Saunders Do I hear the cynics among you say that romance is dead?
- say: What they really mean, say the cynics, is the trust doesn't want to carry the cost of coastal defenses.
- let: Let the cynics mock; to me, it shows tremendous joie de vivre.
- make: To free them without a trial would mock the dead and make cynics of the living.
- confound: The report has been covered extensively in the press for example E-learning success confounds cynics - TES January 30, 2004 ( PDF ).
- bear: Being natural born cynics, what we want to know is which is the worst campaign out there.
Adjective modifier
- twisted: Guaranteed to blow the wind out of your sails, Despair Posters are ideal for bitter and twisted cynics everywhere... .
- nasty: Nasty old cynics, taking account of the numbers quoted above ( The cup is half full... .
- old: Nasty old cynics, taking account of the numbers quoted above ( The cup is half full... .
- hardened: To hardened cynics, it may all seem a little idealistic.
- other: I can assure Richard and any other cynics that absolutely no decisions have been made.
- professional: Yet, these professional cynics are getting things wrong again in attributing blame.
Used with adjective complement
harden: I'm quite a hardened cynic when direct mail drops through my door.
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