as in maleness
the set of qualities considered appropriate for or characteristic of men
some men believe that wearing pink would undermine their masculinity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 masculinity
The mania for ancient Greece and Rome is in ample display among the current descendants of the Nazis, the alt-right more than happy to cosplay their fantasy of classical masculinity and racial exceptionality.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
So my masculinity was being challenged.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
Ruibal and Iglesias have challenged traditional ideas of masculinity with their clothes and appearance, suffering some blowback on social media and from local pundits.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Bentley also says that historically, meat is tied to masculinity, while vegetables and sweets are thought to be feminine.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for masculinity
Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
So my masculinity was being challenged.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
Ruibal and Iglesias have challenged traditional ideas of masculinity with their clothes and appearance, suffering some blowback on social media and from local pundits.
—Colin Millar, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Bentley also says that historically, meat is tied to masculinity, while vegetables and sweets are thought to be feminine.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for masculinity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masculinity
Noun
-
The men handling their maleness was interesting.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
-
Fact is Bruce Springsteen has forever been a man of the people, a man in search of his own definition of his maleness and his humanity.—
Kevin Powell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Lil Ant changes from day to day in the manner of adolescents everywhere, absorbing differing ideas about what manhood should look like and trying each one on for size.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
-
That's real manhood right there.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Suck it up, and embrace the steely, Vader-esque manliness of this Ultra-Tough cooler from RTIC.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Today’s Republican Party is big on manliness and masculine virtues.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
20 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Now, data shows that fitness virility in 2026 isn’t driven by extreme gym culture or elite athletes.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
For all his talk about strength, his approach leans more toward virality than virility with social media as his primary accelerant.—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The origins of literary machismo run back much further.—
John Semley,
Wired News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Unless… if all the women left the military, then it could be whittled down to a horde of men indoctrinated in machismo and more loyal to specific leaders than the Constitution.—
Julie Roland,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Masculinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masculinity. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
