machismo

noun

ma·​chis·​mo mä-ˈchēz-(ˌ)mō 

mə-,

-ˈkēz- 

-ˈkiz-,

-ˈchiz-

1

: a strong sense of masculine pride : an exaggerated masculinity

athletes displaying their machismo

2

: an exaggerated or exhilarating sense of power or strength

the administration's machismo in pushing for a new treaty

Synonyms

• masculinity

Examples of machismo in a Sentence

a culture that prizes machismo and has rigid gender roles

Recent Examples on the Web

Woodstock ’99 set the new tone with its misogynistic violence and nu-metal machismo. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2025

Wrapped in a padded trainer’s belt, Lee eggs on Abel and absorbs numerous blows to the torso as the two men commune in the kind of machismo hype ritual typically reserved for boxing movies, or the wind up to a Jake Paul fight. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025

But for readers, the brutality of Girlie’s work chronicles is offset by her personality—she’s got machismo, smarts, swagger. —Sarah Rose Etter, The Atlantic, 6 Aug. 2025

His machismo may have been especially appealing to some male voters. —Susan Page, USA Today, 11 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from macho

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1