as in masculinity
the set of qualities traditionally considered appropriate for or characteristic of men
studio executives wondered if the actor possessed the manliness expected in an action hero
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manliness
Studying Latin taught me that contemporary anxieties about manliness and cosmopolitanism date back thousands of years.
—
Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
But just like the men who understood changing a diaper in the 1990s didn't take away their manliness, so can participating in their spouse's emotional needs.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
There's a true earthy manliness that's really f---ing raw and awesome.
—Yolanda MacHado, EW.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Unsubstantiated claims about the distracting nature of women, the perils of feminine qualities, and the inherent manliness of war hardly provide a solid foundation on which to construct policy.
—Megan H. MacKenzie, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2012
See All Example Sentences for manliness
Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
But just like the men who understood changing a diaper in the 1990s didn't take away their manliness, so can participating in their spouse's emotional needs.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
There's a true earthy manliness that's really f---ing raw and awesome.
—Yolanda MacHado, EW.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Unsubstantiated claims about the distracting nature of women, the perils of feminine qualities, and the inherent manliness of war hardly provide a solid foundation on which to construct policy.
—Megan H. MacKenzie, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2012
See All Example Sentences for manliness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manliness
masculinity
Noun
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An undercurrent of anxiety and repression lies below 2charm’s image of confident masculinity, and that shame is what manages to keep their sometimes standard hyperpop interesting.—
Reanna Cruz,
Pitchfork,
12 Mar. 2026
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This acknowledgment of reader subjectivity is in the spirit of Sloan’s work, in contrast to the traditional critic’s standpoint of an objectivity that has never really existed, that often only serves to obscure whiteness, masculinity, and wealth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manliness. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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