VIRILE Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

virile

adjective

ˈvir-əl

Definition of virile

as in male

of, relating to, or marked by qualities traditionally associated with men men were once expected to be interested only in such virile activities as hunting

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of virile Hundreds of frat boys came out to watch a head-to-head match between the effluvia of USC’s and UCLA’s most virile students, moving through a plastic maze. — Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 America is strong, America is virile. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026 And the possibility of a virile and serious and seriously taken black man—all three—is ignored in virtually the entire world of Cather’s and Hemingway’s fiction. — Literary Hub, 3 Feb. 2026 Rather than prizing animals for their beauty, their virile traits or their straight-up cool characteristics, frogposting is all about vulnerable animals—the dweebs of the animal kingdom. — Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for virile

Recent Examples of Synonyms for virile

Adjective

The Christian male protagonist Samaan (Marwan Waleed) is a socially awkward young man traumatized by a terrorist incident that led to his father’s murder.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
The drugs are today available in more forms, such as a pill, and are also more affordable, leading more younger, lower-income and male consumers to use the drugs, according to the research.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of male

Adjective

The furnishings and décor are sleek and masculine, with materials like teak, oak, and leather, while in the bathrooms, black Zimbabwe marble and white Navona travertine strike a dramatic tone.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
The series’ most potentially radical idea, one that doesn’t quite pay off because the editing is so heavy on the masculine experience, is the inclusion of three women volunteers.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of masculine

Browse Nearby Words

viridity

virile

virility

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“Virile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virile. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of virile

adjective

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