as in maleness
the set of qualities considered appropriate for or characteristic of men
some men believe that wearing pink would undermine their masculinity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of masculinity
Bill Cosby’s television sitcom seemed to model family values and introduced a type of masculinity that supported the possibilities of girls and women.
—
Harvey Young, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
Throughout the 1900s, and even into the ‘80s and ’90s, women often were encouraged to be more effeminate, and male counterparts were told to embrace their masculinity.
—Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
Danny McBride has charted a career by writing and starring in TV shows that played with tropes of masculinity such as Righteous Gemstones, Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
That early scene, at first, seems typical of two young male friends asserting their masculinity in a juvenile manner.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for masculinity
Harvey Young, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
Throughout the 1900s, and even into the ‘80s and ’90s, women often were encouraged to be more effeminate, and male counterparts were told to embrace their masculinity.
—Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
Danny McBride has charted a career by writing and starring in TV shows that played with tropes of masculinity such as Righteous Gemstones, Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals.
—Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
That early scene, at first, seems typical of two young male friends asserting their masculinity in a juvenile manner.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for masculinity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masculinity
Noun
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The men handling their maleness was interesting.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
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Fact is Bruce Springsteen has forever been a man of the people, a man in search of his own definition of his maleness and his humanity.—
Kevin Powell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Lil Ant changes from day to day in the manner of adolescents everywhere, absorbing differing ideas about what manhood should look like and trying each one on for size.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
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That's real manhood right there.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Suck it up, and embrace the steely, Vader-esque manliness of this Ultra-Tough cooler from RTIC.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
10 Dec. 2025
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Today’s Republican Party is big on manliness and masculine virtues.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
20 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Now, data shows that fitness virility in 2026 isn’t driven by extreme gym culture or elite athletes.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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For all his talk about strength, his approach leans more toward virality than virility with social media as his primary accelerant.—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Chiarella is hyper-attuned to the ways that men not only shield emotion through machismo, but also couch affection in physical force.—
Natalia Winkelman,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
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By tearing off his shirt in machismo-riddled jubilation, Johnson had delivered unto Chicago a feast — or, at least, roughly 2,000 free hot dogs.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
4 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Masculinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masculinity. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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