as in masculine
having qualities or traits that are traditionally considered inappropriate for a girl or woman
a designer whose eclectic spring line paired hoydenish work boots with frilly skirts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoydenish
Adjective
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By combining elements of traditional masculine dressing with the traditionally feminine ballet flat, brands are participating in the trend without alienating shoppers.—
Jack Stanley,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026 -
Krapp is a farce of masculine pride, chronic bachelorhood, and, ultimately, intense loneliness; Transcription is a farce of responsibility and overwhelming attachment.—
Hannah Gold,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That would have been unladylike.—
Lucy Worsley
September 16,
Literary Hub,
16 Sep. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Women fighting for the right to vote were seen by their detractors as unfeminine, and vinegar valentines were a cheap and convenient medium to enforce gender roles.—
Melissa Chan,
Fortune,
14 Feb. 2026
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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
Adjective
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The clip, only about 12 seconds long, which first surfaced on Reddit before being deleted and later reposted on X, shows several male fans seated in the upper deck performing what appears to be the gesture in unison.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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But the organ that senses those hormones is usually separate from the one that delivers the sperm; in male octopuses, the hectocotylus does both.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
2 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hoydenish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoydenish. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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