virginal

adjective

ˈvər-jə-nᵊl How to pronounce virginal (audio)
Definition of virginalnext
1
as in pristine
being in an original and unused or unspoiled state one of the state's few remaining tracts of virginal prairie

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
3
as in pure
free from any trace of the coarse or indecent the romance between the young boy and girl is portrayed with virginal innocence that is touching in this day and age

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel is a slow read with an out-of-time atmosphere, really one of the most virginal and repressed romance stories of all time. — Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 20 Feb. 2026 Our idols were allowed to either be good girls—militantly wholesome and seemingly virginal—or train wrecks, unmoored and wild, and thus subjected to a litany of bullying and ridicule for their actions. — Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2026 Someone with the virginal purity of a political outsider and the intrinsic capability of an insider who’s spent decades cutting deals and keeping the government wheels spinning. — Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026 Official portraits projected her as a modern iteration of 19th-century royal mothers—soft, demure, virginal. — Air Mail, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for virginal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virginal
  1. pristine
  2. unmarried
  3. pure
  4. fresh
  5. virgin
  6. immaculate
  7. maiden
  8. chaste
Adjective
  • Given the pristine surroundings, the Phillipses took a strictly sustainable approach in building the property, choosing its location in a spot that would require virtually no tree removal.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Ko ensured the recipe’s instructions in this book were as pristine and legible as Vongerichten’s cooking is nimble and gleaming.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of pristine
Adjective
  • Still unmarried at his death, he was widely seen as Uganda’s most eligible bachelor.
    — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Norwegians are unmarried, divorced, families, and old couples.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of unmarried
Adjective
  • Swift was born into the Anglo-Irish Protestant elite, and the text satires both the callousness of his class and a then-ascendant approach to morality and politics that held that all aspects of life could be cooked down to a pure numerical value.
    — Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, Bier recognizes the pure joy of seeing these women drinking margaritas again, resulting in a vivid and sweet celebration that gradually reframes aging as a process of gaining power rather than losing it.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of pure
Adjective
  • But with the newer franchises, the deepest wounds are still fresh, so unlike Kim Zolciak and Nene, opposing parties in those cities are having a harder time celebrating the sisterhood of it all.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Back then, Canales was a fresh-faced teenager who was seen as the future of Spanish football.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of fresh
Adjective
  • These include the use of fresh, seasonal ingredients such as tomatoes and onions, soft cheeses, extra virgin olive oil, basil, garlic, and oregano.
    — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The analysis also does not separately assess whether a product’s polyester is virgin or recycled, an important distinction when interpreting the brand rankings.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of virgin
Adjective
  • His carefully coiffed side parting is as immaculate as his smile, something that distinguishes him from the rest of his party, whose members tend to grimace rather than grin.
    — Esme Nicholson, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026
  • That said, the surfaces are immaculate with Englert, serving as both co-director and cinematographer, moving through the Dostoevskys’ decline with astonishing care.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of immaculate
Adjective
  • One day before the anniversary of his first (and, so far, only) F1 victory, Gasly secured a stunning maiden pole position at Monza.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Try maiden grass for something tall and upright that can also serve well as a privacy barrier.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of maiden
Adjective
  • Then there was the rather chaste kiss on Evans’s show late last year.
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 June 2026
  • Deadhead your chaste tree in late winter to promote flowering in the spring and summer months.
    — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
Definition of chaste

Browse Nearby Words

virgin
virginal
virginity
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Cite this Entry

“Virginal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virginal. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on virginal

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about virginal

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