as in male
of, relating to, or marked by qualities traditionally associated with men
men were once expected to be interested only in such virile activities as hunting
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of virile
The Victorians, perhaps sensing that Britain’s empire could not stay young and virile forever, took this Romantic dread and ran with it.
—
Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025
New cassette players are being manufactured and competition is virile, musicians are releasing more and more records on the format and Amazon is selling old cassettes like a bumper crop.
—Spin Team, SPIN, 28 Nov. 2024
While a tabloid scandal and a terrorist plot don’t seem like fuel for a winning Oscar campaign, all of it contributed to Crowe’s image as a throwback to the days when Hollywood leading men were virile and larger than life.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024
And John himself is a strong, virile man willing to take control of any situation.
—William Earl, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for virile
Matthew Redmond, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025
New cassette players are being manufactured and competition is virile, musicians are releasing more and more records on the format and Amazon is selling old cassettes like a bumper crop.
—Spin Team, SPIN, 28 Nov. 2024
While a tabloid scandal and a terrorist plot don’t seem like fuel for a winning Oscar campaign, all of it contributed to Crowe’s image as a throwback to the days when Hollywood leading men were virile and larger than life.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024
And John himself is a strong, virile man willing to take control of any situation.
—William Earl, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for virile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virile
Adjective
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The 26-foot-tall bronze sculpture depicts a male figure that transforms into tree branches housing various bird species.—
Duante Beddingfield,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Amy McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot and Democratic Senate candidate in Kentucky, posted a video on Facebook stating there is no male standard or female standard for roles, including flying a fighter jet or being an artillery officer.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Republicans responded by leaning into their ideal image as the masculine party, with appeal that cut across racial barriers.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Convincing him to take him along, Veneno is drawn into the hyper-masculine world of long-haul trucking across northern Mexico.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Virile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virile. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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