as in masculine
having qualities or traits that are traditionally considered inappropriate for a girl or woman
her father thought that ice hockey was a little too tomboyish for her, but her mother and older brother encouraged her to take it up
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Recent Examples of tomboyish
But yesterday, Rihanna did a sartorial 180, ditching her tomboyish ’fit for a girly, baby pink look.
—
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
Jacobson lends her voice to Shira Schwooper, the tomboyish middle child and only daughter.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Her outfits were eccentric but unfussy, tomboyish but distinctly feminine.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
Jacobson lends her voice to Shira Schwooper, the tomboyish middle child and only daughter.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Her outfits were eccentric but unfussy, tomboyish but distinctly feminine.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tomboyish
Adjective
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In her practice, Palazzolo focuses heavily on industrial materials as a way of turning things perceived as artless or overtly masculine on their head.—
Mario Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
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The reemergence of traditional gender roles manifests in fashion through hyper masculine and hyper feminine ways of dressing.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That would have been unladylike.—
Lucy Worsley
September 16,
Literary Hub,
16 Sep. 2025
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The new girl’s unladylike bravado ensures that she will be asked to board with the Brown girl.—
Chris Bohjalian,
Washington Post,
17 Aug. 2023
Adjective
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Dior’s collection referenced the H-line created by its founder Christian Dior for Fall-Winter 1954-1955 – a controversial silhouette at the time as its flattened shape appeared, for some, unfeminine.—
Alice Pfeiffer,
CNN,
28 Jan. 2025
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The intention behind this final postcard may have been, yet again, to paint the fight for suffrage as absurd, to make suffragists seem like willful, unfeminine animals.—
Natalie Kinkade,
JSTOR Daily,
25 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Tomboyish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tomboyish. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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