mas·cu·lin·ize
ˈma-skyə-lə-ˌnīz 
masculinized; masculinizing
: to give a chiefly masculine character to
especially
: to cause (a female) to take on male characteristics
mas·cu·lin·i·za·tion
-ˌnīˈz-
variants
also British masculinisation
ˌ⸗⸗lənə̇ˈzāshən,
-ˌnīˈz-
plural -s
: the state of being masculinized
Examples of masculinize in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
31 Dec. 2025
Breast binders are compression garments worn to help women recover from mastectomies and also used to masculinize a person’s chest and reduce gender dysphoria.
—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
18 Dec. 2025
Abraham questioned why the jokes frequently came from men, why Erivo was being masculinized, and why audiences were responding with overwhelming enthusiasm.
—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
The measure, passed by the cabinet late on Monday but still subject to parliamentary approval, would regulate medicines such as puberty blockers and feminizing or masculinizing hormones for those under the age of 18 who are experiencing gender dysphoria.
—
Reuters,
NBC news,
5 Aug. 2025
Black women are hypersexualized all the time, and masculinized simultaneously.
—
Aimée Lutkin,
ELLE,
29 May 2023
The Arkansas SAFE Act would also ban cross-hormone therapy, a gender-affirming treatment that allows for trans people to masculinize or feminize their physical appearance to be more consistent with their gender identity.
—
Lauren Holt,
CNN,
28 Mar. 2021
This distress decreases or disappears for many people who take masculinizing or feminizing hormones, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
—
NBC News,
13 July 2019
This was to be the moment of arrival for women’s soccer in France, which had been banned as too masculinizing during World War II and not given approval again by the French soccer federation until 1970.
—
Jeré Longman,
New York Times,
28 June 2019
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Verb
Sisley’s biggest 2025 launch, the Sisleÿum for Men line includes four products—a gel cleanser, a hydrating toner, and two moisturizers—tailored to guys’ skin in ways that feel thoughtful, not merely masculinized.
—
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
31 Dec. 2025
Breast binders are compression garments worn to help women recover from mastectomies and also used to masculinize a person’s chest and reduce gender dysphoria.
—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
18 Dec. 2025
Abraham questioned why the jokes frequently came from men, why Erivo was being masculinized, and why audiences were responding with overwhelming enthusiasm.
—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
The measure, passed by the cabinet late on Monday but still subject to parliamentary approval, would regulate medicines such as puberty blockers and feminizing or masculinizing hormones for those under the age of 18 who are experiencing gender dysphoria.
—
Reuters,
NBC news,
5 Aug. 2025
Black women are hypersexualized all the time, and masculinized simultaneously.
—
Aimée Lutkin,
ELLE,
29 May 2023
The Arkansas SAFE Act would also ban cross-hormone therapy, a gender-affirming treatment that allows for trans people to masculinize or feminize their physical appearance to be more consistent with their gender identity.
—
Lauren Holt,
CNN,
28 Mar. 2021
This distress decreases or disappears for many people who take masculinizing or feminizing hormones, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
—
NBC News,
13 July 2019
This was to be the moment of arrival for women’s soccer in France, which had been banned as too masculinizing during World War II and not given approval again by the French soccer federation until 1970.
—
Jeré Longman,
New York Times,
28 June 2019
Cite this Entry
“Masculinize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masculinize. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
masculinize
transitive verb
mas·cu·lin·ize
variants
also British masculinise
masculinized also British masculinised; masculinizing also British masculinising
: to give a preponderantly masculine character to
especially
: to cause (a female) to take on male characteristics
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