matronly

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 matronly Pinkham’s matronly smile, printed on labels and advertisements, became as well known as Mona Lisa’s. Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2025 Every few days, a matronly Spanish woman appeared at the fountain to give me a plastic bag with bananas and bread, and sometimes little packets of butter and jam. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024 Transforming the elegant British, non-Jewish actress into the matronly prime minister required prosthetics for the cheeks, chin, nose and neck, plus contact lenses and a wig. Valli Herman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2024 Mary’s childhood has all of the workhouse tragedy of a Dickens novel, plus insufficient scenes of Susan Lynch as a stern, matronly figure from her youth. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for matronly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matronly
Adjective
  • The British designer made a stealthy comeback in 2023 with a namesake label hinged on her brand of modern minimalism, womanly allure and uncompromising quality.
    WWD Staff, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • McQuarrie’s feats lack the comic timing, composition, and emotionalism that cartoonist-director Brad Bird brought to the thrilling Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Ethan/Tom spider-walking the Burj Khalifa skyscraper and outrunning a dust storm, Paula Patton’s womanly catfight with Léa Seydoux).
    Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • In Seychellois folklore, it was said to hold the feminine spirit of the earth, fertility embodied in botanical form.
    Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The reemergence of traditional gender roles manifests in fashion through hyper masculine and hyper feminine ways of dressing.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Designed specifically for female feet to provide a next-level fit, according to the brand, these boast a padded heel, performance-level cushioning, and a no-slip tongue that will stay in place far beyond 10,000 steps.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • With yet another title opportunity against Stratton, some believe that now may finally be the time for Cargill to win the top female prize on the blue brand.
    Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Except for the presence of one adult man, the village felt almost like a matriarchal society.
    Aatish Taseer, Travel + Leisure, 13 Oct. 2025
  • But the show’s matriarchal power structures, which involved women like Mare forever cleaning up the messes their male relatives made, were carefully shaded.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Matronly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matronly. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

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