patriarchal

adjective

pa·​tri·​ar·​chal ˌpā-trē-ˈär-kəl How to pronounce patriarchal (audio)
: of, relating to, or being a patriarch or patriarchy
a patriarchal culture
a patriarchal religion

Examples of patriarchal in a Sentence

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That dismissal is in part due to the patriarchal undermining of films that are largely written and directed by women; Song also stated that people are also fearful of examining their own relationship to the idea of love, which is at the (literal) heart of the rom-com genre. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 July 2025 But for prominent women’s rights campaigners, Sana’s death was the ultimate outcome of unrestricted online abuse of women in a patriarchal country. Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 9 June 2025 Set in a heavily patriarchal society, the female characters symbolize various facets of femininity, identity, and societal roles. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025 What if starlets like Spears were not happy collaborators in a patriarchal order but scapegoats who had been exploited for profit, pushed to the brink by an insatiable audience, and forced to bear the misogynistic projections of an entire country? Dayna Tortorici, New Yorker, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for patriarchal

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of patriarchal was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Patriarchal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patriarchal. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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