as in masculine
having qualities or traits that are traditionally considered inappropriate for a girl or woman
in bygone days pants were considered unfeminine, and even women bicycling were expected to wear skirts
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Recent Examples of unfeminine
Dior’s collection referenced the H-line created by its founder Christian Dior for Fall-Winter 1954-1955 – a controversial silhouette at the time as its flattened shape appeared, for some, unfeminine.
—
Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
The intention behind this final postcard may have been, yet again, to paint the fight for suffrage as absurd, to make suffragists seem like willful, unfeminine animals.
—Natalie Kinkade, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2024
This really helped cement this idea that there was something or there could be something unfeminine about successful athletes.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 1 Aug. 2024
Things that were once seen as ugly or unfeminine (i.e. baggy clothes, chunky sneakers and grungy makeup) are now once again considered chic.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 10 July 2024
Her muscle mass is defiantly unfeminine but only because our idea of this gendered notion has always been too narrow and confining.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2022
In an article for Smithsonian Magazine, science journalist Sarah Everts tracked that first 1919 deodorant campaign, which declared pit aroma distinctly unfeminine.
—Katherine Dunn, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2022
Physical activity for girls and women was cast as unfeminine, and while schools poured money and other resources into programs for male students, budding female athletes were left to fend for themselves.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 21 June 2022
Her voice was harsh, unfeminine.
—Anne Thériault, Longreads, 14 May 2021
Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
The intention behind this final postcard may have been, yet again, to paint the fight for suffrage as absurd, to make suffragists seem like willful, unfeminine animals.
—Natalie Kinkade, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2024
This really helped cement this idea that there was something or there could be something unfeminine about successful athletes.
—Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 1 Aug. 2024
Things that were once seen as ugly or unfeminine (i.e. baggy clothes, chunky sneakers and grungy makeup) are now once again considered chic.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 10 July 2024
Her muscle mass is defiantly unfeminine but only because our idea of this gendered notion has always been too narrow and confining.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2022
In an article for Smithsonian Magazine, science journalist Sarah Everts tracked that first 1919 deodorant campaign, which declared pit aroma distinctly unfeminine.
—Katherine Dunn, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2022
Physical activity for girls and women was cast as unfeminine, and while schools poured money and other resources into programs for male students, budding female athletes were left to fend for themselves.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 21 June 2022
Her voice was harsh, unfeminine.
—Anne Thériault, Longreads, 14 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfeminine
Adjective
-
For example, data from January 2024 showed that 37% of users had typically feminine names, among users with names that could be read as either masculine or feminine.—
Dylan Butts,Shreya Ghosal,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Fittingly for that show, Cooper’s acceptance speech aimed to shut down toxic masculine ideas about shame and just trying some stuff out.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That would have been unladylike.—
Lucy Worsley
September 16,
Literary Hub,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The new girl’s unladylike bravado ensures that she will be asked to board with the Brown girl.—
Chris Bohjalian,
Washington Post,
17 Aug. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Unfeminine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfeminine. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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