as in maleness
the set of qualities considered appropriate for or characteristic of men
some men believe that wearing pink would undermine their masculinity
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of masculinity
In a society that relies so heavily on categorizing people into a gender binary, targeting a young man’s masculinity can be a particularly painful and isolating experience.
—
Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
Tate, meanwhile, is a former professional kickboxer who amassed millions of followers on social media while pushing his polarizing brand of far-right toxic masculinity.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
But most of all, there was his proposition of a new masculinity.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
That’s because rhetoric that reinforces a single idea of masculinity sets unattainable standards for how men should act in the workplace.
—Colleen Tolan, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for masculinity
Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 4 Sep. 2025
Tate, meanwhile, is a former professional kickboxer who amassed millions of followers on social media while pushing his polarizing brand of far-right toxic masculinity.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
But most of all, there was his proposition of a new masculinity.
—Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
That’s because rhetoric that reinforces a single idea of masculinity sets unattainable standards for how men should act in the workplace.
—Colleen Tolan, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for masculinity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masculinity
Noun
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His political identity has become fused with the idea that manhood and success are defined by family formation, financial dominance, and control of the cultural narrative.—
Sophia A. Nelson,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Some guys are finding solace in extreme physical activity with expletive-laden barking from a drill sergeant to reclaim their manhood.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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There's a true earthy manliness that's really f---ing raw and awesome.—
Yolanda Machado,
EW.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Beards emerged as legible emblems of male virility and authority just as women began demanding the vote.—
Book Marks
August 1,
Literary Hub,
1 Aug. 2025
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This emphasis on women’s bodies and behaviors is especially conspicuous amid a broader cultural preoccupation with male virility.—
Lucy Tu,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
Noun
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Advertisement Gudsen's fractured identity—swaggering machismo versus devoted family man—might suggest dissociative identity disorder, but Lehane resists reducing him to a clinical label.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
15 Aug. 2025
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But for readers, the brutality of Girlie’s work chronicles is offset by her personality—she’s got machismo, smarts, swagger.—
Sarah Rose Etter,
The Atlantic,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Masculinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masculinity. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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