Suffix for "skeptic" or "cynic"

Editorially verified for the Aug 27, 2026

65 Across

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A simple educational illustration showing the suffix -ism attached to words

Clue explained

-ISM is a suffix found in words such as “skepticism” and “cynicism,” referring to a belief, doctrine, or characteristic system. The clue asks for the shared ending rather than a standalone word.

Clue type:
Word form

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 27, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Forensic TV drama
  2. 4Grip
  3. 9Beta follower
  4. 14Babe
  5. 15Dried poblano
  6. 16It's made up of chapters
  7. 17Surgery sites (Abbr.)
  8. 18Relay item
  9. 19Fancy tie alternative
  10. 20Dance for high school seniors
  11. 22Apt name for a botanist
  12. 23Sleeveless garments
  13. 24Situation in which two people trade duties
  14. 28Rad
  15. 29Android alternative
  16. 30Word before "Clash" or "Cure"
  17. 33Kind of card for a phone
  18. 34K-i-s-s-i-n-g outdoors, e.g.
  19. 35It's around a foot
  20. 36London venue named after Queen Victoria's husband
  21. 41YouTube diary, perhaps
  22. 42Animal that says "hee-haw"
  23. 43Pricing figures
  24. 44Like a rush delivery
  25. 47"Shrinking" actor Harrison
  26. 48Netflix show that has Natasha Lyonne's character in a time loop
  27. 53Person who sleeps in the starfish position
  28. 57March on Washington figure (Abbr.)
  29. 58Marine mammal
  30. 59Visitor from outer space
  31. 60Undercover spies
  32. 62Place to get a HydraFacial
  33. 63Point fingers at
  34. 64Path around the sun
  35. 65Suffix for "skeptic" or "cynic"
  36. 66Squeals
  37. 67Like a stage-five clinger
  38. 68Piping-hot goss

Down

  1. 1Actress Priyanka
  2. 2Sadness
  3. 3Removable boot part
  4. 4Yak
  5. 5Genetic messenger
  6. 6Not idle
  7. 7Push
  8. 8Trots for tots
  9. 9Tropical fruits
  10. 10Photographer Adams
  11. 11Lapel attachments
  12. 12Not worth discussing
  13. 13___ on a log
  14. 21One might be found in a bottle
  15. 25Stir up
  16. 26"Bugonia" star Stone
  17. 27Fly high
  18. 30"Enough already!"
  19. 31Problem for an inflatable mattress
  20. 32Snakelike fish
  21. 34"Masterpiece" network
  22. 35Broken bits of pottery
  23. 36Parts of hookup culture?
  24. 37Hello, in Portuguese
  25. 38___ Kippur
  26. 39"Betcha can't eat just one" brand
  27. 40Movie universe with a Game Grid
  28. 45They serve the queen
  29. 46Mo. with International Clown Week
  30. 47One might be confiscated by a bouncer
  31. 49Fireside treat
  32. 50"___ the judge of that"
  33. 51Error in judgment
  34. 52Alpaca cousin
  35. 53Person with a crib sheet?
  36. 54"Margo's Got Money Troubles" actress Fanning
  37. 55Watch part
  38. 56Eco-friendly fiber
  39. 60Nickname for Ross' sister on "Friends"
  40. 61Pigpen

The answer to “Suffix for "skeptic" or "cynic"” in the USA Today crossword is ISM — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 27, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 65-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Suffix for "skeptic" or "cynic"” answer

ISM (3 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is ISM.

What does ISM mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of ISM is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically a political ideology or an artistic movement

When else has “Suffix for "skeptic" or "cynic"” appeared?

USA Today reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 27, 2026 (most recent) → ISM. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Suffix for "skeptic" or "cynic"”?

The answer is ISM, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 27, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Suffix for "skeptic" or "cynic"”?

3 letters: ISM.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 27, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 65-Across.

Can “Suffix for "skeptic" or "cynic"” have a different answer?

Yes — USA Today sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's USA Today answers?

The full grid for August 27, 2026 is on the USA Today answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

USA Today Crossword is published by USA Today; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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