believing that people are motivated by self-interest distrustful of human sincerity or integrity
example
Her cynical attitude towards politicians made it difficult for her to trust any of their promises.
synonyms
skepticaldistrustfuljaded
word origin — The word 'cynical' originates from the Greek word 'kynikos,' meaning 'dog-like,' which was used to describe the Cynics, a school of philosophy in ancient Greece that believed in living in accordance with nature and rejected societal conventions.
TOEFL Vocabulary — Set 106
Set 106 of TOEFL Vocabulary covers 5 words: cynical, catastrophic, remiss, superfluous, adjacent. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
cynical · adjective/ˈsɪnɪkəl/
believing that people are motivated by self-interest distrustful of human sincerity or integrity
Her cynical attitude towards politicians made it difficult for her to trust any of their promises.
Synonyms: skeptical, distrustful, jaded
Origin: The word 'cynical' originates from the Greek word 'kynikos,' meaning 'dog-like,' which was used to describe the Cynics, a school of philosophy in ancient Greece that believed in living in accordance with nature and rejected societal conventions.
catastrophic · adjective/ˌkætəˈstrɑfɪk/
extremely harmful or disastrous
The scientists warned that a catastrophic failure of the dam could flood the entire valley.
Synonyms: disastrous, devastating, calamitous
Origin: From the Greek 'katastrophē' meaning 'overturning, a turning down' (kata- 'down' + strophe 'turning').
remiss · adjective/rɪˈmɪs/
neglectful in the performance of a duty or task
She was remiss in her duties as a project manager, failing to communicate important updates to the team.
Synonyms: negligent, lax, careless
Origin: from Latin 'remissus', meaning 'slackened' or 'relaxed'
superfluous · adjective/suˈpɜrflʊəs/
exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
The report included several superfluous details that did not contribute to the main argument.
Synonyms: unnecessary, excess, redundant
Origin: from Latin 'superfluus', meaning 'overflowing', from 'super-' (above) + 'fluere' (to flow)
adjacent · adjective/əˈdʒeɪ.sənt/
next to or adjoining something else
The park is located adjacent to the school, making it a perfect spot for students to relax during their breaks.
Synonyms: next, bordering, nearby
Origin: Originating from the Latin word 'adjacentem', which is the present participle of 'adjacere' meaning 'to lie near'.