Adjective
He wasn't manly enough to fight.
He has a deep, manly voice.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
This manly scent comes in a 1.7oz container and is made in New York.—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024 Because what's manlier than being the king of the castle, right?—Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 12 July 2023 Bellocchio pulled Scorsese in close for a manly pat on the back.—Manuela Santacatterina, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2024 Gone are the manly traits of our forefathers: stoicism, reliability, strength, and dignity.—Christian Schneider, National Review, 1 Feb. 2024 Still, the young men’s fathers each felt their son had a manly duty to serve.—Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2024 Spencer redressed the existing sets to reflect the manly elements Gosling’s Ken has brought back from the Real World, including mini-fridges and leather furniture.—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2024 Long eyelashes lent his eyes a feminine sparkle, a counterpoint to his manly chin.—William Keiser, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2023 Along with Simmons’ gruff, manly background vocals, the latter track was highlighted by Thayer’s razoring guitar leads.—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 3 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adverb
Middle English manli "befitting a man, bravely, resolutely, courteously," going back to Old English manliche, from manman entry 1 + -liche-ly entry 2
Adjective
Middle English manli "human, male, brave, resolute, noble," from manman entry 1 + -li-ly entry 1
First Known Use
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
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