Word: misanthropist (noun)

Associations

A misanthropist is a person who dislikes or distrusts other people. This word is often used to describe someone who prefers to be alone because they have a negative view of human nature.

• Example 1: "The old man was a misanthropist who rarely left his house." Here, it shows the man does not like people much.
• Example 2: "After many disappointments, she became a misanthropist and avoided social gatherings." This means she stopped trusting people.
• Example 3: "The character in the story was a misanthropist, which made him difficult to understand." This highlights the character’s dislike of others. Synonym: "Cynic" is a similar word, but a cynic doubts people’s sincerity or goodness, while a misanthropist dislikes people in general.

Substitution

You can use words like "loner," "hermit," or "cynic" depending on the meaning:

• "Loner" means someone who likes to be alone but does not always dislike people.
• "Hermit" is a person who lives alone, often for religious or personal reasons.
• "Cynic" means someone who expects the worst from people’s motives. Each changes the meaning slightly, so choose based on what you want to say.

Deconstruction

• Root: "misanthrop-" comes from Greek "misos" meaning "hatred" and "anthropos" meaning "human."
• Suffix: "-ist" means a person who practices or is concerned with something. So, a misanthropist is literally "a person who hates humans."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a character from a book or movie who might be a misanthropist? Why?
• Have you ever felt like a misanthropist when you were upset with people? What made you feel that way?
• How might a misanthropist behave differently from someone who just enjoys solitude?