Definition of damselnext
as in girl
a young unmarried woman knights are celebrated in fairy tales for rescuing damsels in distress

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 damsel That includes the requisite talking animal sidekick, Donkey (Eddie Murphy), and the damsel in distress, Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). Skyler Trepel September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Dark Towers, crooked wizard towers, towers with damsels in distress. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Nintendo’s original damsel in distress first appeared in the 1981 game, kidnapped by DK for Mario (then called Jumpman) to rescue. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025 A little over a decade ago, actresses in these kind of movies were handcuffed to the role of the damsel in distress. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for damsel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damsel
Noun
  • Her clutch performance earned her girls basketball Player of the Week honors.
    Jeffrey Perkins, San Antonio Express-News, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Aledo girls keep improving After a solid 2025 campaign that saw Aledo make it past the area round, the Bearcats have kept improving under head coach Donny Ott.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Nearly 100 people have flown on the rocket since Bezos himself boarded New Shepard for its maiden crewed spaceflight in July 2021, including celebrities like actor William Shatner and musical artist Katy Perry.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The Chargers have been impressive in their D-1 maiden voyage, winning seven games (three over D-1 schools) and posting a 2-2 mark so far in the NEC.
    Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Soon after, Douvia’s sister, Margaret, also moved to the area and found work as a maid.
    Elijah Winkler, Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2026
  • But like all good soapy murders, a body—the maid of honor’s—soon (literally) washes up, plunging the entire wedding party into delightful whodunit mayhem.
    Stephanie Bai, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Damsel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damsel. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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