Pessimist vs. Cynic — What's the Difference?

A person who tends to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen

A person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness.

A person who believes that this world is as bad as it could be or that evil will ultimately prevail over good

A person whose outlook is scornfully and habitually negative.

A tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view

Cynic A member of 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.

The doctrine or belief that this is the worst of all possible worlds and that all things ultimately tend toward evil.

Cynical.

The doctrine or belief that the evil in the world outweighs the good.

Cynic Of or relating to the Cynics or their beliefs.

Someone who habitually expects the worst outcome; one who looks on the dark side of things.

A person whose outlook is scornfully negative.

One who advocates the doctrine of pessimism; - opposed to optimist.

A person who believes that all people are motivated by selfishness.

One who looks on the dark side of things.

Cynical (in all senses)

Of or pertaining to pessimism; characterized by pessimism; gloomy; foreboding.

(not comparable) Relating to the Dog Star.

A person who expects the worst

Having the qualities of a surly dog; snarling; captious; currish.

Pertaining to the Dog Star; as, the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle.

Belonging to the sect of philosophers called cynics; having the qualities of a cynic; pertaining to, or resembling, the doctrines of the cynics.

Given to sneering at rectitude and the conduct of life by moral principles; believing the worst of human nature and motives; disbelieving in the reality of any human purposes which are not suggested or directed by self-interest or self-indulgence; having a sneering disbelief in the selflessness of others; as, a cynical man who scoffs at pretensions of integrity; characterized by such opinions; as, cynical views of human nature.

One of a sect or school of philosophers founded by Antisthenes, and of whom Diogenes was a disciple. The first Cynics were noted for austere lives and their scorn for social customs and current philosophical opinions. Hence the term Cynic symbolized, in the popular judgment, moroseness, and contempt for the views of others.

One who holds views resembling those of the Cynics; a snarler; a misanthrope; particularly, a person who believes that human conduct is directed, either consciously or unconsciously, wholly by self-interest or self-indulgence, and that appearances to the contrary are superficial and untrustworthy.

Someone who is critical of the motives of others

A member of a group of ancient Greek philosophers who advocated the doctrine that virtue is the only good and that the essence of virtue is self-control