hoydenish

Definition of hoydenishnext
as in masculine
having qualities or traits that are traditionally considered inappropriate for a girl or woman a designer whose eclectic spring line paired hoydenish work boots with frilly skirts

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoydenish
Adjective
  • Her styling of 2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, in particular, has helped establish the Dallas Wings guard as a fashion icon, known for a sporty-prep aesthetic that blends traditionally masculine and feminine elements.
    Avery Stone, Time, 9 June 2026
  • Luh is best known for playing the masculine form of Jordan Li, a superhero with the ability to shift between two different gendered bodies, in Gen V, Amazon’s spinoff of The Boys.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • That would have been unladylike.
    Lucy Worsley September 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The new girl’s unladylike bravado ensures that she will be asked to board with the Brown girl.
    Chris Bohjalian, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2023
Adjective
  • Women fighting for the right to vote were seen by their detractors as unfeminine, and vinegar valentines were a cheap and convenient medium to enforce gender roles.
    Melissa Chan, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Dior’s collection referenced the H-line created by its founder Christian Dior for Fall-Winter 1954-1955 – a controversial silhouette at the time as its flattened shape appeared, for some, unfeminine.
    Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The all-male bar staff wear matching aprons with leather straps over striped shirts, while music from the likes of Bruno Mars plays overhead.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
  • The Harvard Apple Women’s Health Study noted in a May 2025 update that women who exercise regularly show lower all-cause mortality than male counterparts at equivalent activity levels.
    Allison Palmer June 4, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Hoydenish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoydenish. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

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