manliness
noun
man·li·ness
ˈman-lē-nəs 
: the quality or state of being manly (as by having qualities such as strength or virility that are traditionally associated with men)
They'd been trained to identify emotional repression as the essence of manliness. Men who broke down, or cried, or admitted to feeling fear, were sissies, weaklings, failures. Not men.—
Pat Barker
Pat Barker… the angular manliness of her gestures …—John Colapinto
John ColapintoExamples of manliness in a Sentence
studio executives wondered if the actor possessed the manliness expected in an action hero
Recent Examples on the Web
The fashion for bushy beards, and beards’ association with authentic manliness, has followed this same trajectory from irony to earnestness during its various resurgences since the early 19th century.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Suck it up, and embrace the steely, Vader-esque manliness of this Ultra-Tough cooler from RTIC.
—Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 10 Dec. 2025
Today’s Republican Party is big on manliness and masculine virtues.
—Michelle Cottle, Mercury News, 20 Nov. 2025
Being the naive newbie in Idaho does suit Cale, with his British lilt and fey enthusiasm for the manliness of the West.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for manliness
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Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Suck it up, and embrace the steely, Vader-esque manliness of this Ultra-Tough cooler from RTIC.
—Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 10 Dec. 2025
Today’s Republican Party is big on manliness and masculine virtues.
—Michelle Cottle, Mercury News, 20 Nov. 2025
Being the naive newbie in Idaho does suit Cale, with his British lilt and fey enthusiasm for the manliness of the West.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for manliness
Cite this Entry
“Manliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manliness. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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