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
For men, particularly in the years before erectile medications hit the market, older paternity was tacitly perceived as a nod to enduring virility.
—
Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 14 June 2025
Oysters have been associated with sensuality and virility for centuries.
—Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
But before then, they were exclusively worn by men and were a sign of virility and high social status.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 13 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for virility
Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 14 June 2025
Oysters have been associated with sensuality and virility for centuries.
—Tribune Content Agency, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
But before then, they were exclusively worn by men and were a sign of virility and high social status.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 13 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for virility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virility
masculinity
Noun
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Maybe masculinity still does mean taking care of and protecting your partner, being the breadwinner and remaining stoic all the same.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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Tate, meanwhile, is a former professional kickboxer who amassed millions of followers on social media while pushing his polarizing brand of far-right toxic masculinity.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Virility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virility. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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