Meaning & use
cynicism
A distrustful attitude that assumes people are motivated mainly by self-interest rather than honesty or kindness.
See it in a sentence
Years of broken promises had left her with a deep cynicism about politics.
His cynicism made it hard for him to trust even well-meaning advice.
A note on using this word
Cynicism differs from healthy skepticism in that it assumes the worst about people's motives rather than simply questioning claims.
Words with a similar meaning
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