machismo

noun ma·chis·mo \ mä-ˈchēz-(ˌ)mō , mə- , -ˈkēz- , -ˈkiz- , -ˈchiz- \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of machismo

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

See machismo defined for English-language learners

Examples of machismo in a Sentence

a culture that prizes machismo and has rigid gender roles

Recent Examples of machismo from the Web

Far too many workplaces are fueled by a culture of machismo, which affects the day-to-day experience of women at every level.

— jennifer calfas, Time, "10 Powerful Women on How #MeToo Has Changed the Fight for Equal Pay," 10 Apr. 2018
The narrative often is overbearing with bravado and machismo.

— don oldenburg, USA TODAY, "'Hunting El Chapo' tells exciting true story of notorious drug lord's capture," 4 Apr. 2018
In a shameless display of machismo, Reggie challenges Archie to an arm wrestling match in order to settle who will get The Bulldogs’ votes, aka the athletic votes, for Student Government.

— refinery29.com, "Riverdale Season 2, Episode 17 Recap: "The Noose Tightens"," 29 Mar. 2018
Cain shines in one of the most complex, frustrating and richly flawed characters in American drama, capturing the agonizing self-doubt under Walter Lee’s impenetrable machismo while allowing his character’s earthy humor to come to the fore.

— f. kathleen foley, latimes.com, "With heart and humanity, this 'Raisin in the Sun' still hits home," 21 Mar. 2018
Source of prostates and testes, muscles and machismo, chest hair, and according to some, even math skills.

— diana gitig, Ars Technica, "Testosterone may protect men from autoimmune diseases," 2 Feb. 2018
Despite all signs to the contrary, Trump projects strength because men are trained to believe the sort of bravado and machismo Trump often projects is a sign of strength and leadership.

— eugene scott, Washington Post, "As women march a year after Trump's election, his approval with some men grows," 20 Jan. 2018
In Mexico, 16-year-old Sydney Gutierrez works to eliminate poverty and machismo culture by advocating for girls’ education on a local radio show.

— malala yousafzai, Glamour, "Malala Yousafzai on the 5 Women Who Are Her Inspiration in 2018," 8 Mar. 2018
Latin America has a deadly and deserved reputation for violence against women and machismo.

— whitney eulich, The Christian Science Monitor, "Taking the bull by the horns? Men learn how to treat women better," 7 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'machismo.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of machismo

Spanish, from macho

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1948

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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MACHISMO Defined for English Language Learners

machismo

noun

Definition of machismo for English Language Learners

: an attitude, quality, or way of behaving that agrees with traditional ideas about men being very strong and aggressive

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for machismo Spanish Central: Translation of machismo Nglish: Translation of machismo for Spanish speakers

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Definition of machismo

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Origin and Etymology of machismo

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MACHISMO Defined for English Language Learners

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