cynical = skeptical

[Jonathan Lighter]

OED needs an additional definition for "cynical" to cover such commonly encountered exx. as "I'm very cynical about the idea [or "the fact"] that..."

  There's also an absence of the extremely common sense, "exhibiting a self-serving disregard for truth or sincerity; intentionally unjust, deceptive, cruel, etc.,"  as in "Hitler and Stalin were cynical tyrants."  The adverb is freqeunt too: "Nero cynically blamed the Christians for the fire."

  JL




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