Thread: Sarcastic vs Cynical - what's the difference?
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Old 01-02-2010, 07:22 AM   #3
pdurrant
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gollu View Post
Can someone explain what's the difference (and the similarities) between "sarcastic" and "cynical"?
Well, IMO:

Sarcasm is the expression of a viewpoint in a way that indicates that it's the opposite of one's real opinion, often by tone of voice.

Cynicism is the expectation that people will only act in their own self-interest, no matter what they say their actions will be. Or that events will not turn out as well as other may say that they will.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynicism

seems to agree with my defintitions.

Oh - and sarcastic is "having the character of sarcasm" and cynical is similarly related to cynicism.

Miriam Webster does a good definition if cynical "contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives"
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