misanthrope • \ˈmi-sən-ˌthrōp\ • noun
: someone who dislikes people in general
The word misanthrope has appeared in 17 New York Times articles in the past year, including on Oct. 20 in the theater review “ ‘Ripcord,’ a Comic Tale of Adversaries” by Ben Brantley:
The play begins with the classic premise that made Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple” an eternal staple of both theater repertory and television syndication: Put two people of opposing temperaments in the same living quarters and watch ’em squirm, fight and practically kill each other. In this case, the combatants are two widows, Abby Binder (Ms. Taylor) and Marilyn Dunne (Ms. Burke), sharing close quarters in the Bristol Place assisted living facility.
This is just fine by Marilyn, a garrulous and determinedly optimistic cutup who looks for the good in everyone. But Abby, a short-spoken misanthrope with a low threshold for irritation, is determined to live alone.
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