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as in unmarried
never having had sexual relations a virginal girl who would not permit any liberties to be taken with her body

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 virginal Why keep up this fake pretense that each date is somehow brand-new, virginal? Anelise Chen, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025 Her approach is a clean break from the 19th-century tradition of American landscape art, in which de facto propagandists like Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Cole depicted land as radiant and virginal, the birthright of any colonial buccaneer drunk on Manifest Destiny. Jeremy Lybarger, ARTnews.com, 6 Jan. 2025 Depp goes beyond Ellen’s virginal purity to complicate our understanding of this character’s relationship to darkness — how she is at once disturbed by and deeply intimate with it. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024 That’s because our immune systems are no longer so virginal to the SARS-CoV-2, given previous exposure to its spike proteins via vaccination or natural infection. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for virginal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virginal
Adjective
  • Today’s lifestyle shows instead hinge on a pristine, editorialized look—as seen on Open Door as well as on real-estate series such as Selling Sunset and HGTV’s home-improvement franchises.
    Kim Hew-Low, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Pop culture can even play a powerful role in shaping the nation’s perception of higher education–Hollywood still leaning heavily on images of pristine lawns, students in caps and gowns, and idealized lecture halls.
    Yolanda Watson Spiva, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Right now, half of American adults are unmarried, and half of those singles aren’t seeking a relationship.
    Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Keaton had a pretty strong stance on staying unmarried, stemming from a moment in her childhood.
    Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Obviously, this is pure speculation at this point in time.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Rybakina is one of the purest ballstrikers on the tour, whose all-or-nothing game can veer from erratic to unplayable in the space of a few games.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Polyester, derived from fossil fuels, typically virgin, is essentially another form of plastic.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Research shows that extra virgin olive oil is much more stable than refined oils and forms fewer polar compounds when heated.
    Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Many reviewers credited the beach’s immaculate facilities and amenities— including bathrooms, charcoal grills, tables, and picnic pavilions—for making their visits true trips to paradise.
    Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025
  • But with Mayfield playing immaculate hero ball, those issues are less important than the fact that Tampa’s young (and now injured) secondary is exactly the type of game the Lions prefer to hunt.
    J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Thailand accused Cambodia of laying fresh landmines following the removal of a barbed wire fence, which was discovered on November 9.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
  • The streamer has announced a series order for A Different World, a fresh sequel to the beloved 1990s sitcom that helped define a generation of Black television.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The role would typically involve smashing a bottle of champagne against the bow before sending the vessel out on its maiden voyage.
    Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The current target for the maiden season is 2029.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Chihiro and Hiruhiko were engaging in the sort of passionate but chaste dude-bro melodrama that takes place only in shōnen manga.
    Matt Alt, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
  • To win the grand prize, 10 contestants must stay as chaste as possible in a house together for four weeks.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Virginal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virginal. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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