ladylike

adjective

la·​dy·​like ˈlā-dē-ˌlīk 

1

: of a kind traditionally considered suitable to or attractive for a woman

Mrs. Douglas arrived for the March 1st meeting at park headquarters wearing her white spring coat, her ladylike Panama hat, and a single strand of white beads.

—Dava Sobel

Yves Saint Laurent gives a perfectly proper, ladylike suit a powerful punch by cutting it in python.

—The New York Times Magazine

Charlotte, who is known to be a tomboy, topped off her ladylike look with a matching bow in her hair.

—Aurora Bosotti

2

: having or showing the appearance or good manners traditionally associated with aristocratic women

her polite, ladylike mother

ladylike elegance

… it didn't seem quite ladylike to say something like that, straight out.

—Katherine Paterson

Jill was putting ladylike bites of turnip in her mouth and washing them down with long, quiet sips of water.

—Molly Tripp

3

: feeling or showing too much concern about elegance or propriety

This plot turns on the sisters' ladylike reluctance to examine the question of their kittens' sex too directly …

—June Howard

4

: having qualities traditionally associated with a woman : womanly

And Vincent hired a voice coach to teach her to talk like a guy … . Ned also came with a dusting of fake stubble for Vincent's smooth, pink, ladylike cheeks …

—Lev Grossman

Each step he takes, delicate, cautious, even ladylike, the step, perhaps, of a man whose eyesight is not altogether reliable …

—Robert Kantwell

Examples of ladylike in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sleek, sculptural, and designed to hug the foot in a barely-there manner, these ladylike silhouettes are perfect peeking out from beneath a maxi dress or grounding sharp tailoring. —Minty Mellon, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2025

In October, Sarah Jessica Parker accessorized her ladylike jumpsuit with a black bucket bag on a night out. —Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 19 Nov. 2025

For example, as a result of my natural, ladylike passivity, some of my attempts to ruin the workplace have gone unnoticed for weeks. —Ariel Dumas, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025

Overall, Van Houtte detected a move away from quiet luxury and the ladylike aesthetic, with fewer neutral tones, with the exception of white. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for ladylike

• businesslike
• motorbike
• workmanlike
• alike
• belike
• birdlike
• catlike
• childlike
• christlike
• deathlike
• dislike
• dreamlike

Kids Definition

ladylike

adjective

la·​dy·​like ˈlād-ē-ˌlīk 

1

: resembling a lady in appearance or manners

2

: suitable to a lady

ladylike behavior