as in virginal
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Recent Examples of maidenly
Virgo Virgo is symbolized by the maidenly virgin, which often leads to the misconception that Virgos are prudish and innocent.
—
Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, 25 Oct. 2017
Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, 25 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maidenly
Adjective
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Brides were expected, in most cultures at various points in history, to be virginal, pure and dedicated to their husbands.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
23 May 2026
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Each statue the perfect epitome of silent, mothering, virginal womanhood that Ireland had come to worship.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Known for her breathy, sultry yet girlish vocal style, Longet achieved significant success on the record charts, beginning with her 1967 debut album, Claudine, and, to a lesser extent, the subsequent The Look of Love (1967) and Love Is Blue (1968).—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
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Miho Sakoda’s Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San) managed a deft balance of girlish naiveté, true love and bitter betrayal with a soprano of apparently limitless expressivity.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Here, as ever, Kokopeli suggests that clinging to youthful talismans offers no protection against uncertainty, and reasserts the odd mix of disaffection and morbid glee produced by such reactionary impulses.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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These character endnotes, whether they’re read as youthful naiveté or an insulting interpretation of youthful naiveté, contribute to the finale’s bitter aftertaste.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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The Spurs missed more production from De'Aaron Fox, who turned in an unremarkable performance (seven points), leaving San Antonio to lean heavily on its young core.—
Alejandro Avila,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
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Around the same time, Mark and Jacob Iskander, 11 and 8, were with their mother and younger sibling approaching a crosswalk at Triunfo Canyon Road.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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In those pages, Fiedler dared to argue that many of America’s boyish and putatively innocent classics are in fact fantasies of interracial, homosexual romance.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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From beginning to end, there’s a joyfulness and a boyish innocence to IOI’s new iteration of the character, which surprised me.—
Alex James Kane,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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Modern Love used a photo of David Bowie in a long dress as his profile picture, and so the ingenuous, myopic Floyd expects a woman.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Unbeknownst to her parents, the sweetly ingenuous Katie has made friends with the generously candy-dispensing family next door, and is abducted one afternoon in the midst of a sweeping windstorm — a standout setpiece, awash in roiled dust and rising panic.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Maidenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maidenly. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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