manly

1 of 2

adverb

man·​ly ˈman-lē How to pronounce manly (audio)
: in a manly manner

manly

2 of 2

adjective

manlier; manliest
1
: having qualities traditionally associated with a man : strong, virile
2
: appropriate in character to a man
manly sports

Examples of manly in a Sentence

Adjective He wasn't manly enough to fight. He has a deep, manly voice.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
After a young man is possessed in a séance by the spirits of kamikaze pilots: His usual rather weak features had taken on a manly, resolute look. Ian Buruma, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025 This mixture of soapy and manly is the quality that makes the Sheridan-verse so weird and interesting as a cultural artifact; its popularity could reflect its efficacy in helping masculine men satisfy their need to feel big feelings about the world. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024 That shooting isn’t very well known, but it’s been a talking point at the convention this week as conservatives seek to tie Trump to Roosevelt, who carefully cultivated a manly image. Madeleine Heim, Austin American-Statesman, 20 July 2024 The Founding Fathers wanted to civilize a country made up of institutional racists, rabid misogynists and bible-thumping Christians who soon added myths of manly gunslingers and stalwart pioneers to the cultural identity. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for manly 

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English manli "befitting a man, bravely, resolutely, courteously," going back to Old English manliche, from man man entry 1 + -liche -ly entry 2

Adjective

Middle English manli "human, male, brave, resolute, noble," from man man entry 1 + -li -ly entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of manly was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near manly

Cite this Entry

“Manly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manly. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

manly

adjective
man·​ly
ˈman-lē
manlier; manliest
1
: having qualities usually expected of a man : strong
2
: appropriate in character to a man
manly sports
manliness noun

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