damsel

noun

ˈdam-zəl How to pronounce damsel (audio)
Definition of damselnext
as in girl
a young unmarried woman knights are celebrated in fairy tales for rescuing damsels in distress

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of damsel The brave lifeguard risks life and limb to stab and punch the killer fish and rescue the damsel in distress, only to lose her to a man in a spacesuit walking along the sand who removes his helmet as the woman sprints to our space hero. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 8 Feb. 2026 In the Terminator films, Hamilton played heroine Sarah Connor, a damsel in distress who becomes a hard-ass warrior. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2025 Infiniti’s portrayal of Willa has drawn praise for subverting the trope of the damsel in distress, instead becoming her very own heroine in the tale. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025 Dark Towers, crooked wizard towers, towers with damsels in distress. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for damsel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damsel
  1. girl
  2. maiden
  3. maid
Noun
  • And if that happened to me as a person who had worked in the industry for 15 years at that point, what’s happening to other girls who want to learn how to play bass, who live in Idaho, who don’t even have access to instruments?
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Their daughter, Josephine, attended a Catholic girls’ school in the Maryland suburbs, and then, like her father, went to Harvard; their son, John, attended a boarding school in Connecticut, and then the University of Miami.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of girl
Noun
  • Lastly, Sovereignty broke his maiden in his third start as a two-year-old and won the Kentucky Derby in his third start last year, followed by his three wins at Saratoga last summer.
    — Geoff Clark, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Skinner’s side reached the quarter-finals in their 2025-26 maiden Champions League campaign but failed to qualify for Europe this term after the depth of their squad was exposed amid a busy season.
    — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of maiden
Noun
  • Hines stabbed Jenkins to death while the 54-year-old was working as a motel maid in Kingston Springs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Privacy is included with a chef, maid, butler, and handyman for any errands and such.
    — Datwon Thomas, VIBE.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of maid

Browse Nearby Words

dams
damsel
damsels
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Cite this Entry

“Damsel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damsel. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on damsel

Nglish: Translation of damsel for Spanish Speakers

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