What does misanthropic mean?
Misanthropic describes a strong dislike, distrust, or contempt for humanity as a whole. A misanthropic person may be cynical about other people's motives, suspicious of cooperation, or pessimistic about the possibility of kindness. The word can also characterize attitudes, behaviours, and institutions that are hostile or dismissive toward people generally. It is more specific than simply being unpleasant or antisocial: its central feature is a generalized hostility toward humanity. The related noun “misanthropy” names the attitude or tendency, while “misanthropist” names a person who has it. Although often used in literary and psychological contexts, misanthropic is not limited to clinical diagnosis, and it should be distinguished from gendered hostility such as misandry, which specifically targets women.
adjectiveHaving a strong dislike or distrust of humanity; characterized by hostility or contempt for people in general. It may also describe actions, attitudes, or outlooks motivated by such dislike.
- Having a strong dislike, distrust, or contempt for humanity in general.
"His years of isolation left him with a deeply misanthropic view of the world."
"The novel presents a misanthropic narrator who sees kindness as a mask for selfish intent."
"A misanthropic reaction to online arguments led him to abandon social media entirely."
Misanthropic is the human-scale version of “I distrust everyone,” from the Greek roots for “hatred” and “human being.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does misanthropic come from?
The word comes from Greek mīsos, meaning “hatred,” and anthrōpos, meaning “human being.” Its English form was developed from “misanthropy,” which was formed from the same Greek elements, with the suffix “-ic” producing the adjective. The root is also found in words such as “anthropology,” “anthropomorphic,” and “philanthropy,” although those words generally concern humanity or human characteristics rather than hatred of people.
Related word forms
How misanthropic is actually used
The word is serious and often literary or psychological in tone. It is more general than a gendered term such as “misandrist,” and it can describe either a person's outlook or a broader cultural or institutional attitude.
Easily confused with misanthropic
Misanthropic is an adjective describing a hostile attitude toward humanity, whereas a misanthropist is a person who holds such views.
Misanthropic refers to dislike or distrust of humanity as a whole, while misandrist specifically describes hatred or hostility toward women.