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
Because Bond is, in so many ways both good and sinister, an avatar for our larger cultural understanding of masculinity.
—
Alex James Kane, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
As his costars and the show’s creator have pointed out, Off Campus aims to tackle toxic masculinity within this world.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 29 May 2026
Obviously, there’s a much bigger conversation right now about toxic masculinity and the manosphere that’s ongoing.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
Further, the word kliba is not necessarily an affirming term in the Mahabharata since it is used derisively, as almost a slur, by men to ridicule and question the masculinity of other men who act cowardly.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for masculinity
Alex James Kane, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
As his costars and the show’s creator have pointed out, Off Campus aims to tackle toxic masculinity within this world.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 29 May 2026
Obviously, there’s a much bigger conversation right now about toxic masculinity and the manosphere that’s ongoing.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
Further, the word kliba is not necessarily an affirming term in the Mahabharata since it is used derisively, as almost a slur, by men to ridicule and question the masculinity of other men who act cowardly.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 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
-
These disparagements cut to the core of southern manhood.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
Why beef culture and agriculture matter in Texas Some of Talarico's critics seemed to be ripping on his manhood, referencing his support for the LGBTQ+ community, along with the purportedly unmanly notion of having, at one time, eschewed meat.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The fashion for bushy beards, and beards’ association with authentic manliness, has followed this same trajectory from irony to earnestness during its various resurgences since the early 19th century.—
Daniel Engber,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Suck it up, and embrace the steely, Vader-esque manliness of this Ultra-Tough cooler from RTIC.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The able-bodied white male stood for the virility of the New Deal nation-state.—
John P. Murphy,
ARTnews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
-
And the working women clearly recognize the virility of him.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Culturally, hyper-machismo has oscillated from cool to lame to ironically cool and back again for decades.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
Bouillon’s Anthony is a man’s man, rough around the eyes with unapologetic machismo as his default personality.—
Carlos Aguilar,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Masculinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masculinity. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
