het·ero·sex·u·al
ˌhe-tə-rō-ˈsek-sh(ə-)wəl 
-ˈsek-shəl
1
a
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to or between people of the opposite sex
heterosexual men/women
a heterosexual couple
b
: of, relating to, or involving sexual activity between individuals of the opposite sex
2
: of or relating to different sexes
plural heterosexuals
: a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of the opposite sex : a heterosexual person
Examples of heterosexual in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Myisha Battle, TIME, 13 Apr. 2024
Over 70% of Americans believe that in heterosexual relationships the man should pay on the first date, according to a recent survey form NerdWallet.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2024
There are plenty of alarmist pieces about how dating opportunities for heterosexual men are diminishing as relationship standards rise, but few include the voices of men who’ve found value in remaining single.
—Clare Egan, Longreads, 13 Feb. 2024
Her advice, while highly criticized by some who have seen her videos, has dominated a pocket of the internet that depicts heterosexual romance as a deal between men and women, in which women are receivers and men are providers.
—Angela Yang, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024
In that context, an indulgence in heterosexual lust, even if in poor taste, is becoming seen as not just benign, but maybe even healthy and noble.
—Ruth Graham, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024
Bumble’s requirement that women (in heterosexual pairings) send the first message to men was meant to solve that problem.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024
People have thought for decades that the audience for video games is a small group of adolescent, cisgender, white, heterosexual men.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024
Studies researching humor and romance in heterosexual relationships have found that both men and women view having a sense of humor as an asset.
—Sonia Weiser, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024
Armond White, National Review, 2 Feb. 2024
Though PrEP has been embraced by gay and trans Americans, it is prescribed less often to heterosexuals over 50 or women of any age.
—Michael Scaturro | Kff Health News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2023
Consequently, a population of heterosexuals who are not in monogamous long-term relationships are now newly ineligible to donate blood.
—Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 7 Aug. 2023
Recent studies have also found that rates of mental illness in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth far outpace those in heterosexuals: Between 2015 and 2019, suicidality rates in these individuals were five times higher, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
—Eli Cahan, The New Republic, 10 July 2023
The white working classes also resent their cultural marginalization by liberal elites, who champion diversity while presenting whites, heterosexuals, and men as the enemies of progress.
—Andreas Wimmer, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019
One simply cannot applaud cis white heterosexual males enough for doing the bare minimum required of a human being.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 14 Dec. 2022
Remember: Any human who didn’t fit the cultural norm (heterosexual) has spent their lives either in a form of hiding or living out loud while often endangering their emotional, physical and economic safety.
—Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022
Shifting our wider definition of family is not just about including those who are childfree or prospective parents who sit outside of the heterosexual, cis norm.
—Sadhbh O'Sullivan, refinery29.com, 13 Feb. 2022
Adjective
Things feel particularly daunting in heterosexual dating.
—Myisha Battle, TIME, 13 Apr. 2024
Over 70% of Americans believe that in heterosexual relationships the man should pay on the first date, according to a recent survey form NerdWallet.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2024
There are plenty of alarmist pieces about how dating opportunities for heterosexual men are diminishing as relationship standards rise, but few include the voices of men who’ve found value in remaining single.
—Clare Egan, Longreads, 13 Feb. 2024
Her advice, while highly criticized by some who have seen her videos, has dominated a pocket of the internet that depicts heterosexual romance as a deal between men and women, in which women are receivers and men are providers.
—Angela Yang, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024
In that context, an indulgence in heterosexual lust, even if in poor taste, is becoming seen as not just benign, but maybe even healthy and noble.
—Ruth Graham, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024
Bumble’s requirement that women (in heterosexual pairings) send the first message to men was meant to solve that problem.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024
People have thought for decades that the audience for video games is a small group of adolescent, cisgender, white, heterosexual men.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024
Studies researching humor and romance in heterosexual relationships have found that both men and women view having a sense of humor as an asset.
—Sonia Weiser, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024
Noun
Implicitly, playing heterosexuals is no longer permissible.
—Armond White, National Review, 2 Feb. 2024
Though PrEP has been embraced by gay and trans Americans, it is prescribed less often to heterosexuals over 50 or women of any age.
—Michael Scaturro | Kff Health News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2023
Consequently, a population of heterosexuals who are not in monogamous long-term relationships are now newly ineligible to donate blood.
—Benjamin Ryan, NBC News, 7 Aug. 2023
Recent studies have also found that rates of mental illness in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth far outpace those in heterosexuals: Between 2015 and 2019, suicidality rates in these individuals were five times higher, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
—Eli Cahan, The New Republic, 10 July 2023
The white working classes also resent their cultural marginalization by liberal elites, who champion diversity while presenting whites, heterosexuals, and men as the enemies of progress.
—Andreas Wimmer, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019
One simply cannot applaud cis white heterosexual males enough for doing the bare minimum required of a human being.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 14 Dec. 2022
Remember: Any human who didn’t fit the cultural norm (heterosexual) has spent their lives either in a form of hiding or living out loud while often endangering their emotional, physical and economic safety.
—Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022
Shifting our wider definition of family is not just about including those who are childfree or prospective parents who sit outside of the heterosexual, cis norm.
—Sadhbh O'Sullivan, refinery29.com, 13 Feb. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heterosexual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near heterosexual
Cite this Entry
“Heterosexual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heterosexual. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
heterosexual
1 of 2 adjective
het·ero·sex·u·al
ˌhet-ə-rō-ˈseksh-(ə-)wəl
-ˈsek-shəl
: of, relating to, or marked by sexual interest in members of the opposite sex
heterosexual
2 of 2 noun
: a heterosexual individual
Medical Definition
heterosexual
1 of 2 adjective
het·ero·sex·u·al
ˌhet-ə-rō-ˈseksh-(ə-)wəl, -ˈsek-shəl
1
a
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to or between individuals of the opposite sex
b
: of, relating to, or involving sexual activity between individuals of the opposite sex
sexual relationships between individuals of opposite sexes are heterosexual—A. C. Kinsey
A. C. Kinsey2
: of or relating to different sexes
heterosexual
2 of 2 noun
: a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of the opposite sex : a heterosexual individual
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