cynical
/ˈsɪnɪkəl/adjective
cynical is spelled C-Y-N-I-C-A-L: 7 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 3.9 times per million words in written English, the 13,127th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, cynical means “Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in cynical?
| Letters | 7: C-Y-N-I-C-A-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 3.9 times per million words; the 13,127th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is cynical?
Cynical appears 3.9 times per million words in written English, the 13,127th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce cynical?
- /ˈsɪnɪkəl/
Cynical has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-cynical.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of cynical
- more cynical comparative
- most cynical superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does cynical mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.
- 2
Skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others.
- 3
Bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking.
- 4
Showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions.
- 5
rareLike the actions of a snarling dog, especially in reference to facial nerve paralysis.
adjective
- 1
Of or relating to the Cynics, a sect of Ancient Greek philosophers who believed virtue to be the only good and self-control to be the only means of achieving virtue.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Cynical in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | cynique |
| Portuguese | cínico |
| Spanish | cínico, resabiado, resabioso, sotreta |
| German | zynisch |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does cynical come from?
Originated 1542, from Classical Latin cynicus (“Cynic/cynic”, adjective) + -al. By surface analysis, cynic + -al. In reference to dogs, with allusion to the ultimate etymology (Ancient Greek κυνικός (kunikós, “doglike”)).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).