cynical - distrustful or contemptuous of virtue, esp selflessness in others; believing the worst of others, esp that all acts are selfish retort - 1) (when , takes a clause as object) to utter (something) quickly, sharply, wittily, or angrily, in response 2) to use (an argument) against its originator; turn the tables by saying (something) I think you should have looked into the dictionar