-nə̇kəl, -nēk- adjective
Etymology: cynic (I) + -al
1. : having the qualities of a cynic : given to faultfinding, sneering, and sarcasm
the younger sister grew more cynical , not to say acid, in her ways — Rudyard Kipling
2. : given to or affecting disbelief in commonly accepted human values and in man's sincerity of motive or rectitude of conduct : accepting selfishness as the governing factor in human conduct
provide a smashing answer for those cynical men who say that a democracy cannot be honest and efficient — F.D.Roosevelt
3. : exhibiting feelings ranging from distrustful doubt to contemptuous and mocking disbelief
but people nowadays are so cynical — they sneer at everything that makes life worthwhile — L.P.Smith
Synonyms:
misanthropic (or misanthropical ), pessimistic , misogynic (or misogynous ): cynical often implies a disbelief in sincerity, benevolence, rectitude, or competence
the loneliness which breathes in words like these has often begotten in great rulers a cynical comtempt of men and the judgments of men — J.R.Green
he was cynical that any good could come of democracy — J.T.Farrell
the cynical opinion, which dissents and says that the less we understand one another the better, will not be considered here — I.A.Richards
misanthropic suggests dislike and distrust of human beings in general and discomfort at or aversion to their society
he had been the laughingstock of the school even before that day for his inability to conform to their standards, but after that day his loathing for every aspect of youthful high spirits hardened into a misanthropic mania — J.C.Powys
pessimistic connotes a gloomy view of life in general, one without joy or hope
the pessimistic sects which despair of social progress and look for a catastrophic ending of the present world order — W.L.Sperry
official Whig leaders went politically to sleep in their country seats, muttering pessimistic prophecies of the impossibility of conquering Napoleon — G.M.Trevelyan
misogynic and its variants indicate a distrust of and aversion to women on man's part
an old-fashioned bachelor whose misogynic views and prejudice against matrimony have been conjecturally traced to his brother Perses having a wife as extravagant as himself — James Davies
in spite of this modest status of woman, the Greeks were profoundly misogynous — H.M.Parshley