In Ireland and Britain (at least), there is a usage of this word which is a weird mirror image of its actual meaning. It almost certainly came about as a misunderstanding of what cynicism means, but it is now quite commonly used by politicians and media correspondents. Essentially, it is the application of the adjective "cynical" to a person one views with cynicism, or to the deeds of such a person.
Example:
- What is said: "Peter Mandelson's suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly was a cynical move, designed to prop up the leadership of David Trimble."
- What is meant: "I take a cynical view of Peter Mandelson's suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly, as I believe it was a move designed to prop up the leadership of David Trimble".
In this way, the word cynical is used to describe persons whose good intentions are doubted, whereas it should properly be applied to the person who is doing the doubting. Thus, the word cynical takes on a new and recursive definition: "subject to a cynical interpretation".
Personally, I hate to see the word abused in such a fashion. Yes, I know, language is in a constant state of flux, and it could be argued that the intention of the speaker is quite clear in context, but something feels very wrong in hearing the word used in such a topsy-turvy way.