cynical
Believing that people only do things for selfish reasons.
cynical in a sentence
- Too cynical to believe the prize was real, Nadia binned the golden ticket.
- Don't be so cynical, Amos; perhaps the man returned your wallet simply because he is kind.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to cynical?
- Atrusting
- Bdistrustful
- Cpositive
- Dhopeful
Show the answer
B: distrustful. The other three mean the opposite of cynical.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to cynical?
- Adoubting
- Bsuspicious
- Cdistrustful
- Dtrusting
Show the answer
D: trusting. The other three mean nearly the same as cynical.
Words that mean something similar
distrustful, suspicious, doubting
Words that mean the opposite
trusting, hopeful, positive
More words about character & personality
- devious: Sneaky and dishonest in a clever way.
- dignified: Calm, serious and behaving in a way that earns respect.
- diligent: Working hard and taking care over what you do.
- distinguished: Respected and admired, especially for your achievements.
- dogged: Refusing to give up, however hard things get.
- earnest: Serious and truly meaning what you say.
- eccentric: Behaving in an odd but usually harmless way.
- eminent: Famous and highly respected.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test