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macho

adjective

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ma·cho | \ ˈmä-(ˌ)chō

Definition of macho

(Entry 1 of 2)

: characterized by machismo : aggressively virile

macho

noun

plural machos

Definition of macho (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : one who exhibits machismo

2 : machismo

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Examples of macho in a Sentence

Adjective the macho world of football Noun their annual guys-only hunting trip is a celebration of macho

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Even as a growing number of alternative niches gives boys places to thrive as proud geeks and artists and gender nonconformists, many sports have remained staunchly macho in this way. — Emma Brown, Washington Post, "We can’t solve the problem of violence against girls and women without also addressing violence against men and boys.," 22 Feb. 2021 Elaine May’s seedy 1976 crime flick is a type of ending in itself, acting as a sobering postscript to the macho heist and mafia movies of the decade. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, "The 101 Greatest Endings in Movies History," 22 Feb. 2021 But the vibe of comment threads can turn macho or hostile, and the information exchanged isn’t always sound. — Gregory Thomas, San Francisco Chronicle, "Dangers of hiking Pacific Crest Trail loom as 2021 season approaches," 21 Feb. 2021 The year was 1977, and the magazine was a macho place. — Eric Boodman @ericboodman, STAT, "Sharon Begley, path-breaking science journalist who spun words into gold, dies at 64," 17 Jan. 2021 It’s the kind of deconstruction of macho male archetypes that dares you not to cry during its ending, and it’s one of the best films of 2011. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, "The 100 Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now," 16 Jan. 2021 Many have cited his macho-man appeal and his charismatic personality as reasons for his Latino support; who knows if it can be duplicated by whoever ends up being the next Republican nominee. — Geraldo Cadava, The New Yorker, "The Deep Origins of Latino Support for Trump," 29 Dec. 2020 Young and old were masked, social distance was kept but everyone was happy and grateful, even a few macho men wept. — Liz Hardaway, ExpressNews.com, "Christmas is saved after San Antonio donates 2,000+ toys after originals stolen," 23 Dec. 2020 There is a famous photo of him in Red Square, sporting a T-shirt that shows Putin in a macho, heroic pose. — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, "How Fares Freedom?," 17 Dec. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Is this what passes for macho among his supporters? — Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, "Donald Trump’s 2020 Superspreader Campaign: A Diary," 3 Nov. 2020 The question is not easily solved in a sport that has long been politicized, that prizes its image as a haven for the macho and that, at the top ranks of the college game, lacks centralized governance. — Alan Blinder, New York Times, "Football’s Return Is Fodder for Mask Debates and an Enforcement Dilemma," 2 Oct. 2020 The marines’ publicity bureau, established before the first world war, carefully cultivated an image of an elite force with a macho, Spartan streak. — The Economist, "Send the Marines," 31 Mar. 2020 This latest film, which opens areawide on Christmas Day, has him as a super macho, super suave, super spy who becomes ... a pigeon. — Chuck Yarborough, cleveland, "Superspy Will Smith and nerdy Tom Holland refuse to be pigeonholed in ‘Spies in Disguise’," 16 Dec. 2019 Patient, steadfast Inti, round faced and dimple cheeked, rebuke to the macho South American stereotype. — Mathina Calliope, Longreads, "The Backcountry Prescription Experiment," 3 Dec. 2019 And vulnerable, with real feelings, rather than being this macho, trying-to-be-tough guy. — Martha Ross, The Mercury News, "Brad Pitt: In a post-#MeToo world, men can be ‘vulnerable and own their ‘flaws’," 30 July 2019 Who would have ever thought that NASCAR — the ultimate macho-man sports — would defer to women’s soccer? — Mike Bianchi, orlandosentinel.com, "Coke Zero Sugar 400 shows NASCAR, NBC don’t know when to come in out of the rain | Commentary," 7 July 2019 The restaurant’s standout items are traditional Bolivian dishes, like the pique a la macho, an entree of steak strips sauteed with red onion, peppers and spices. — Leeanne Griffin, courant.com, "La Familia Brings Authentic Bolivian Food To Canton," 25 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'macho.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

5 Mar 2021

Cite this Entry

“Macho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/macho. Accessed 13 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for macho

macho

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of macho

often disapproving : having or showing qualities (such as very noticeable strength and aggression) that agree with traditional ideas about what men are like : manly or masculine in a very noticeable or exaggerated way

See the full definition for macho in the English Language Learners Dictionary