drag king
noun
plural drag kings
: a person and especially a woman who dresses as a man and performs as an entertainer in male drag (see drag entry 3 sense 2a)
Likewise, drag kings, who are traditionally females, dress as stereotypically masculine characters.—
Laura Wavra
Laura WavraWhile traditionally drag kings involved women stepping into the roles—and clothes—of their male counterparts, today it's not that simple.—David Friend
David Friend… blind, non-binary drag king Tito Bone showcases their signature skills of song, dance and audio description.—Impact News Service (London)
Impact News Service (London)Examples of drag king in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lois, no longer a promiscuous drag king, remains mischievous and irrepressible, even while getting pilloried on Fox News for leading a school workshop on gender identity.
—Charlie Tyson, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
At one point in the show, a video montage played showing Paytas crying on the floor of her kitchen interspersed with music videos of her emo drag king persona, Sadboy2005.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2025
Some contestants, like Victoria Scone, a non-binary drag queen who identifies as female, have even performed as drag kings for lip-syncs as a nod to drag kings.
—Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
This comes after years of criticism leveled at the flagship drag competition franchise RuPaul’s Drag Race, which has yet to feature a drag artist who has entered and competed as a drag king.
—Mikelle Street, Them., 2 May 2025
The show will feature contestants of diverse gender identities, including transmasculine people, cisgender women, nonbinary folks, and more, all of whom will perform as drag kings.
—Mikelle Street, Them., 2 May 2025
In fact, the past few years have seen a particular rise in the drag king scene on the island.
—James Factora, Them., 22 Apr. 2025
Comedian and drag king Murray Hill will host King of Drag, the first-of-its-kind series.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 17 Dec. 2024
In the Depression Era, it was called male impersonation, but it might today be considered a drag king act.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Jan. 2025
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Charlie Tyson, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
At one point in the show, a video montage played showing Paytas crying on the floor of her kitchen interspersed with music videos of her emo drag king persona, Sadboy2005.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2025
Some contestants, like Victoria Scone, a non-binary drag queen who identifies as female, have even performed as drag kings for lip-syncs as a nod to drag kings.
—Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
This comes after years of criticism leveled at the flagship drag competition franchise RuPaul’s Drag Race, which has yet to feature a drag artist who has entered and competed as a drag king.
—Mikelle Street, Them., 2 May 2025
The show will feature contestants of diverse gender identities, including transmasculine people, cisgender women, nonbinary folks, and more, all of whom will perform as drag kings.
—Mikelle Street, Them., 2 May 2025
In fact, the past few years have seen a particular rise in the drag king scene on the island.
—James Factora, Them., 22 Apr. 2025
Comedian and drag king Murray Hill will host King of Drag, the first-of-its-kind series.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 17 Dec. 2024
In the Depression Era, it was called male impersonation, but it might today be considered a drag king act.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drag king.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drag%20king. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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