male 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmāl How to pronounce male (audio)
Definition of malenext
as in masculine
of, relating to, or marked by qualities traditionally associated with men the radio program offers both male and female perspectives on many common relationship issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

male

2 of 2

noun

as in guy
an adult male human being research shows that more males than females are responding positively to the new ad campaign

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 male
Adjective
According to Grapevine, Funk ranked among the top performers in the program and surpassed many male counterparts on certain tests. — Michael Loria, USA Today, 10 July 2026 Like Bezos, whose Sun Valley uniform has included jeans with T-shirts and polo shirts, many of the male tech executives are dressing down. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 10 July 2026
Noun
In 2025, for example, a large adult male tiger was spotted in Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026 More prominent in males, these pincers are primarily used for defense and mating displays. — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for male
Recent Examples of Synonyms for male
  1. masculine
  2. guy
  3. gentleman
  4. man
  5. dude
Adjective
  • Available starting Wednesday, her inaugural scent settles somewhere between a hyper-feminine floral and an ultra-masculine musk, with notes of peach blossom, jasmine, velvety orris, pink peony and soft ambroxan.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 July 2026
  • Salinger reveals Holden’s gentleness, itself a rejection of masculine norms of strength, through a determined honesty that is antithetical to the boasting in which his male peers repeatedly engage.
    — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of masculine
Noun
  • But no, instead he is forced to bro out with all the guys, worst of which is Charlie, whom Brooks understandably has zero desire to spend any time with whatsoever.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 July 2026
  • But Toney isn’t awestruck, nor too afraid to speak up to the guy who once manned the middle of his boyhood team’s defense.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of guy
Noun
  • Richard Rutkowski, a gentleman as well as an exceptional talent, was happy to talk me through the practical logistics which went into building this small-but-important part of Duncan’s character development.
    — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • There’s a resident big band that sets the tempo for dancing—there are even gentlemen hosts available for ladies—and a DJ rocks the small disco late into the night.
    — Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Definition of gentleman
Noun
  • In May, a former federal agent was arrested and charged with multiple counts of assault and falsely reporting a crime after making false statements under oath regarding the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis in January.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • Cohen argued that women leave STEM fields at disproportionately higher rates than men and that the issue isn’t simply a pipeline problem.
    — Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of man
Noun
  • But maybe looking and sounding like a working-class dude who hates big corporations is not adequate qualification for high office—or even proof that you can be taken at your word.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026
  • Mariana is not pleased to hear this, and he's got some rough-looking dudes with him.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of dude

Browse Nearby Words

malcontents
male
maledict
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Male.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/male. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on male

Nglish: Translation of male for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about male

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