# cynic vs cynical

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### cynic
*noun · IPA /ˈsɪnɪk/ · frequency rank #36,510*
A person whose outlook is scornfully negative.

### cynical
*adjective · IPA /ˈsɪnɪkəl/ · frequency rank #13,130*
Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cynic-vs-cynical