cynical
gb/sˈɪnɪkəl/ us/sˈɪnɪkəl/
B2
English
~ 9100
cinikus, gátlástalan
B2
1
cinikus
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is cynical about [something]
She’s become very cynical about relationships after so many breakups.
Annyi szakítás után nagyon cinikussá vált a párkapcsolatokkal kapcsolatban.
Many young voters are cynical about politics and don’t believe any party will really change things.
Sok fiatal szavazó cinikus a politikával kapcsolatban, és nem hiszi, hogy bármelyik párt tényleg változtatna a dolgokon.
His cynical view of the world makes it hard for him to get excited about anything.
I know it sounds cynical, but I don’t think they’re doing this to help us; they just want good publicity.
The film offers a dark, cynical portrait of modern society.
Learner examples
He is very cynical and does not trust anyone.
Nagyon cinikus, és senkiben sem bízik.
People are often cynical about politicians.
Az emberek gyakran cinikusak a politikusokkal szemben.
After losing his job, he became cynical about big companies.
My friend has a cynical view of marriage.
Some students are cynical about the school’s promises.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'cynical' when they only mean 'skeptical'. 'Skeptical' can be neutral and logical doubt, but 'cynical' almost always includes a negative judgment about people’s honesty or morals. Many also confuse 'cynical' with 'sarcastic'; sarcasm is a speaking style, while cynicism is an attitude or belief about people.
Meaning
distrustful of people's motives
Collocations
deeply cynical
|cynical about politics
|cynical view
|cynical attitude
|cynical comment
|cynical worldview
Synonyms
skeptical (Suggests general doubt or questioning; less negative about people’s morals than 'cynical'.)
|
world-weary (Focuses more on being tired and disappointed by life, not just doubting people’s motives.)
|
disillusioned (Suggests having lost earlier hopes or beliefs; 'cynical' often sounds colder and more judgmental.)
Antonyms
idealistic (Believes in people’s goodness and high principles, which is the opposite of a cynical view.)
|
trusting (Ready to believe that people are honest and kind, unlike a cynical person.)
Themes
emotions
|attitude
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Not trusting that people are honest or kind, and thinking they are mainly interested in money, power, or their own benefit.
Distrustful of people’s stated motives or goodness, believing they are mostly driven by self-interest, gain, or hidden reasons.
C1
2
gátlástalan
B2
cinikus
B2
Usage pattern:
a cynical [action/attempt/use] of [something]
Critics called the tax cut a cynical attempt to win votes before the election.
A bírálók az adócsökkentést a választások előtti szavazatszerzés gátlástalan kísérletének nevezték.
The company’s cynical use of environmental language in its ads angered many customers.
Sok vásárlót feldühített, hogy a cég gátlástalanul környezetvédelmi szólamokat használt a reklámjaiban.
It was a cynical move: they pretended to care about safety just to avoid being sued.
Journalists condemned the government’s cynical exploitation of the crisis to gain more power.
Their offer of help felt like a cynical ploy to gain access to our client list.
Learner examples
Many people saw it as a cynical attempt to get more money.
Sokan úgy látták, hogy ez gátlástalan kísérlet volt több pénz megszerzésére.
The ad was a cynical way to make people buy things they do not need.
A reklám gátlástalan módja volt annak, hogy olyan dolgok megvásárlására vegye rá az embereket, amelyekre nincs szükségük.
Some leaders make cynical decisions that hurt poor people.
The movie shows a cynical use of love to sell products.
His apology seemed like a cynical move to save his job.
Common mistake:
Learners often think this sense is only about thoughts or feelings, but it commonly describes actions or strategies (a cynical attempt, move, ploy) that break moral rules for gain. They may also confuse it with simply 'clever' or 'strategic'; 'cynical' always suggests an unethical or shameless side.
Meaning
openly selfish and morally shameless
Collocations
cynical attempt
|cynical ploy
|cynical exploitation
|cynical use of power
|cynical marketing
|cynical manipulation
Synonyms
ruthless (Emphasizes not caring who gets hurt; 'cynical' also implies moral coldness and calculation.)
|
exploitative (Focuses on unfairly using people; 'cynical' adds a sense of open, shameless self-interest.)
|
callous (Stresses emotional hardness; 'cynical' highlights both hardness and self-serving motives.)
Antonyms
principled (Describes behavior guided by strong moral rules, the opposite of cynical disregard for ethics.)
|
sincere (Honest and genuine, not secretly using people or situations for advantage.)
Themes
ethics
|politics
|business
|relationships
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Acting in a cold and selfish way, not caring if something is dishonest or hurts other people, as long as it brings a benefit.
Showing a cold, shameless willingness to use people or ignore moral standards in order to gain an advantage.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cynical
IPA
GB/sˈɪnɪkəl/
US/sˈɪnɪkəl/
Syllables & stress
cyn - ic - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cyn)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: cynical
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.