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Prepositions after adjectives

Cynical about, of, in, for, or among?

Cynical is most commonly followed by about or of. Other combinations usually introduce separate ideas rather than fixed adjective patterns.

Quick answer

Which prepositions go with cynical?

Use cynical about for topics, systems, or ideas. Use cynical of before people or motives. In and among usually introduce a place or group, not a fixed combination with cynical. Cynical for is not standard.

She is cynical about politics.
He became cynical of advertising promises.
They grew cynical among constant scandals.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
cynical about + topic

Expressing distrust toward ideas or systems

Use cynical about with subjects, institutions, or general situations.

Many voters are cynical about election campaigns.
She sounds cynical about corporate culture.
2
cynical of + person/motive

Expressing suspicion about people

Use cynical of before people, intentions, or claims.

He was deeply cynical of the company's motives.
I have become cynical of celebrity endorsements.
3
cynical in + situation

Describing attitude within a context

In can introduce the situation where someone is cynical. It is not a fixed adjective-preposition pattern.

She became cynical in her final years at the firm.
People grew cynical in the aftermath of the crisis.
4
cynical among + group

Describing cynicism within a group

Among refers to the group where cynicism exists rather than a direct complement of cynical.

Distrust spread among younger voters.
The mood was cynical among the staff.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
cynical about
They are cynical about politics.
standard for topics, systems, or ideas
cynical of
She is cynical of easy promises.
standard for people, motives, or claims
cynical in
He became cynical in that environment.
in introduces the context where the attitude developed
cynical for
They were cynical for the future.
not standard; use cynical about the future instead
cynical among
Cynicism grew among employees.
among usually belongs to the wider sentence, not directly to cynical

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using cynical for

Cynical for is not an idiomatic adjective pattern.

✕ She is cynical for politics. ✓ She is cynical about politics.

Confusing about and of

About usually refers to topics, while of often refers to people or motives.

✕ He is cynical about her intentions. ✓ He is cynical of her intentions.

Treating among as a fixed complement

Among normally describes the group where cynicism exists.

✕ They are cynical among the media. ✓ Cynicism is common among the media.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Many people are cynical ___ online advertising.
2. She became cynical ___ his promises.
3. The mood turned cynical ___ younger workers.

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Frequently asked questions

Is cynical of formal?

It is slightly more formal and less common than cynical about, but it is standard English.

Can I say cynical towards?

Yes, cynical towards someone is possible, especially when describing attitude toward a person or group.

Why is cynical for incorrect?

English does not normally use for after cynical to express distrust or disbelief.

calm, in, calm, for, calm, about "candid about" or "candid in"? capable of or in? careful about, with, of, in or on? careless about, with, in, of or on? caribbean in, for, with, to or on? "catastrophic for" or "catastrophic to"? "cautious about" or "cautious in"? celtic in, for, on, at or to? central to, in, for, at or of? "certain of" or "certain about"? "challenging for" or "challenging of"?

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