as in masculinity
the set of qualities considered appropriate for or characteristic of men
many cultures value virility as a sign of power
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Recent Examples of virility
Tom Cruise, that avatar of all-American virility, opened the evening with an address that reaffirmed the rightness of the proceedings, much as Peck had in 1968.
—
Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2025
Managers no longer have two sartorial choices — polyester sportswear to denote virility and dynamism and suit and tie to convey sombre authority — but have branched out into turtlenecks, quarter-zips, and merino wool sweaters, the wardrobe of the TEDx talk.
—Rory Smith, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
And while a full head of hair has traditionally been seen as a symbol of masculinity and virility for men across the world, Turkey’s cosmetic surgeons might understand that better than anyone.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 18 Dec. 2024
For all its Formula One credentials, for all its flashy virility and hair-trigger handling, the McLaren also sets a new supercar standard for inner peace.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2012
See All Example Sentences for virility
Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2025
Managers no longer have two sartorial choices — polyester sportswear to denote virility and dynamism and suit and tie to convey sombre authority — but have branched out into turtlenecks, quarter-zips, and merino wool sweaters, the wardrobe of the TEDx talk.
—Rory Smith, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
And while a full head of hair has traditionally been seen as a symbol of masculinity and virility for men across the world, Turkey’s cosmetic surgeons might understand that better than anyone.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 18 Dec. 2024
For all its Formula One credentials, for all its flashy virility and hair-trigger handling, the McLaren also sets a new supercar standard for inner peace.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Mar. 2012
See All Example Sentences for virility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virility
masculinity
Noun
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Mac's deeply closeted, Catholic-guilty homosexuality had been treated as a joke throughout the show's run, with the joke never truly being about Mac being gay, but about how his desperate repression had twisted him into a caricature of grasping masculinity.—
Dennis Perkins,
EW.com,
10 July 2025
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These authors, alongside psychologists, activists and public health experts, are reframing the narrative around masculinity and emphasizing the need for emotional literacy and awareness.—
Sreedhar Potarazu,
Baltimore Sun,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Virility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virility. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
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