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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoydenish
Adjective
  • Victorian mores determined that brown men were too feminine and brown women too masculine, and the group as a whole was oversexed and in need of population control.
    Supriya Ganesh, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Andrew and Tristan Tate are former kickboxers who built a large online following by sharing hyper-masculine and misogynistic content.
    Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 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 male wolf, named Neukgu, burrowed out of his enclosure at the O-World zoo in Daejeon on April 8, prompting a search that gripped the nation and raised fears about his safety.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Casting has not yet been announced for the musical, in which six unemployed steel workers decide to make money by creating their own male strip show.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hoydenish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoydenish. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster