masculinity

noun

mas·​cu·​lin·​i·​ty ˌma-skyə-ˈli-nə-tē How to pronounce masculinity (audio)
Synonyms of masculinitynext
: the quality or nature of the male sex : the quality, state, or degree of being masculine or manly
challenging traditional notions about masculinity and femininity
… a style which alternates between a polished grace and blunt masculinity.—Stuart Keate
The man controlling his environment is today the prevailing American image of masculinity.—Susan Faludi

Synonyms of masculinity

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of masculinity in a Sentence

some men believe that wearing pink would undermine their masculinity
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Experts believe the statue may have symbolized masculinity, virility, strength, and courage. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Tristan Tate, 38, has built a following by creating and promoting a similar take on modern masculinity. — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 Innanen’s most popular videos make toxic masculinity and rigid political ideologies the butt of the joke, often followed immediately by quippy shirtless videos. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026 For example, Hank humorously embodies the tension at the heart of American masculinity and fatherhood. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for masculinity

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of masculinity was in 1613

Phrases Containing masculinity

Rhymes for masculinity

See All Rhymes for masculinity

Browse Nearby Words

masculinist
masculinity
masculinization
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Masculinity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masculinity. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

masculinity

noun
mas·​cu·​lin·​i·​ty ˌmas-kyə-ˈlin-ət-ē How to pronounce masculinity (audio)
plural masculinities
: the quality, state, or degree of being masculine
measurement of masculinity or femininity—Psychological Abstracts
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All