misanthropic

/ˌmɪsənˈθrɒpɪk/ Literary

Say it: mis-un-THROP-ik

adjective Characterized by a general dislike, distrust, or hatred of the human species.
The reclusive author was known for his misanthropic views and his refusal to give interviews.

📖 Seen in the wild

His misanthropic tendencies led him to live a solitary life in the mountains.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ misanthropic in a sentence

After a decade in customer service, he developed a deeply misanthropic attitude.
The comedian's sharp, misanthropic wit spared no one, targeting the public and politicians with equal disdain.
Despite his misanthropic reputation, he was secretly kind to the few people he let into his life.
The novel's protagonist is a misanthropic old man who eventually learns to connect with his community.
Some philosophers argue that a truly rational mind must adopt a somewhat misanthropic perspective on human history.
She had a misanthropic streak, preferring the quiet company of her dogs to most people.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

cynical antisocial pessimistic reclusive jaded contemptuous scornful

cynical · focuses on distrusting people's motives as selfish, while misanthropic is a broader dislike of humanity itself.

antisocial · describes behavior that avoids or is hostile to others, whereas misanthropic describes the underlying feeling or belief.

pessimistic · involves expecting the worst outcome in general, not necessarily stemming from a dislike of people.

reclusive · describes a lifestyle of withdrawal from society, which can be a result of misanthropy but is not the same thing.

Opposites: philanthropic, humanitarian, sociable, gregarious, altruistic

🌱 Where it comes from

The word comes directly from Greek roots that leave little room for misunderstanding. It combines 'misein', meaning 'to hate', with 'anthropos', meaning 'mankind'. It entered English in the 17th century, gaining prominence through works like Molière's play 'Le Misanthrope'.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

misanthropic charactermisanthropic reclusemisanthropic humormisanthropic ranta misanthropic streak

Misanthropic is a strong word that describes a deep-seated dislike of humanity, not just a bad mood or a preference for being alone. It is often confused with 'antisocial', but misanthropy is the philosophy or feeling, while antisocial refers to behavior. It is also more intense than 'cynical'; a cynic distrusts everyone's motives, but a misanthrope may dislike them regardless of their motives.

Word family: misanthrope, misanthropy, misanthropically

💬 Quick answers

What does misanthropic mean?

It describes a person or attitude characterized by a general dislike, distrust, or hatred of humanity as a whole.

What's the difference between misanthropic and antisocial?

Misanthropy is a feeling or philosophy of disliking people. Antisocial refers to behavior that disregards or violates the rights of others and social norms, and is sometimes a clinical term.

Is being misanthropic a bad thing?

It is generally considered a negative and pessimistic worldview. While some adopt it as a philosophical stance, it involves a fundamental hostility toward other people.

Who is a famous misanthropic character?

A classic example is Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" before his transformation. Another is Alceste from Molière's play "The Misanthrope".

1 word nerd collected it V

Want "misanthropic" to actually stick?

Save it to your own vault, let AI explain it, practice till it's yours.

Start for free →