Definition:
Cynical - contemptuous of human behavior, scornful, pessimist.


Example:
“ROSALIND: Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.”
~ William Shakespeare, As You Like It (Act 4, Scene 1)


Explanation:
In this quote from Shakespeare, the character of Rosalind makes a very pessimistic statement. She tells the audience that men do not die of love, as many romantics would believe, but simply because they die. This is a very realistic point of view, without any optimism in regard to the ideals of love. She further tells of how worms eat the buried bodies of men, exposing her cynicism and debasing the idea of romance.