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as in unmarried
never having had sexual relations a virginal girl who would not permit any liberties to be taken with her body

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of virginal Her approach is a clean break from the 19th-century tradition of American landscape art, in which de facto propagandists like Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Cole depicted land as radiant and virginal, the birthright of any colonial buccaneer drunk on Manifest Destiny. Jeremy Lybarger, ARTnews.com, 6 Jan. 2025 Depp goes beyond Ellen’s virginal purity to complicate our understanding of this character’s relationship to darkness — how she is at once disturbed by and deeply intimate with it. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024 That’s because our immune systems are no longer so virginal to the SARS-CoV-2, given previous exposure to its spike proteins via vaccination or natural infection. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 The film treats Ryder’s Beth as the evil hag witch who the virginal hard worker Nina has to beat to achieve her dreams, and Ryder plays that role with relish and gusto. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for virginal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virginal
Adjective
  • If maintaining a pristine lawn is your priority, removing leaves can prevent mold, rot and patchy grass.
    Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Being Imabari towels, these meet the Japanese certification for pristine product quality, made with 100% pima cotton and a specific quality control process.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In fact, in nearly half of the countries examined, higher rates of polygyny were associated with fewer, not more, unmarried men.
    David W. Lawson, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Keaton had a pretty strong stance on staying unmarried, stemming from a moment in her childhood.
    Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Kinahans seemed to be acting out of pure rage.
    Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Always test the paint on a pure white backdrop so underlying colors don’t distort the white shade.
    Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The material is washed, processed locally into balls, flakes and/or pellets that meet European industrial standards, and then spun into a high-grade thread, without blending with virgin plastic or chemical additives.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The new jeans mark a pivotal step on the Dutch brand’s Road to 100 mission to create jeans made entirely from old denim, eliminating the need for virgin cotton altogether.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But with Mayfield playing immaculate hero ball, those issues are less important than the fact that Tampa’s young (and now injured) secondary is exactly the type of game the Lions prefer to hunt.
    J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
  • No other game has featured two immaculate innings, in which the pitcher retires all three batters on three-pitch strikeouts.
    Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Anglers who want to keep their catch fresh on a long drive home are better served to cover fish in a dry livewell with ice.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
  • His monthly Inside China column explores the issues that shape discussions and understanding about Chinese innovation, providing fresh perspectives not found elsewhere.
    Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Te Pāti Māori’s Oriini Kaipara delivered her maiden speech on Thursday after being elected to fill a vacant seat.
    Ronnie Li, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Hamlin holds a significant advantage to win his maiden title going into Talladega and Martinsville.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Chihiro and Hiruhiko were engaging in the sort of passionate but chaste dude-bro melodrama that takes place only in shōnen manga.
    Matt Alt, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
  • To win the grand prize, 10 contestants must stay as chaste as possible in a house together for four weeks.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Virginal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virginal. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

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