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

• macho
• manhood
• manliness
• masculinity
• virility

Examples of machismo in a Sentence

a culture that prizes machismo and has rigid gender roles

Recent Examples on the Web

There is a sense that her interest hinges up his machismo and his job title, and (sadly) the show has barely bothered to give her more character than that. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2025

Instead of using this opportunity to make Bond a more inclusive franchise, Bezos could very well lean into the franchise’s outmoded machismo, returning Bond to an aggressive womanizer and pillar of a brand of masculinity that aligns with the values of the far right. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025

By comparison, even peers like Iggy or Lou Reed were willing to fall back on tough-guy machismo when addressing women, in ways that Johansen had absolutely no use for. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025

Instead of using this opportunity to make Bond a more inclusive franchise, Bezos could very well lean into the franchise’s outmoded machismo, returning Bond to an aggressive womanizer and pillar of a brand of masculinity that aligns with the values of the far right. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from macho

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined at sense 1