manful

M3A1N1F4U1L1

adjective

Showing the characteristics considered typical of a man; macho or manly.

Similar
manlymanlikeman-sizedmalevirilemasculine
OriginMiddle English manful →
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Meanings

adjectivemanful (comparative manfuller, superlative manfullest)

comparative manfuller · superlative manfullest

  1. Showing the characteristics considered typical of a man; macho or manly.

    If Cousin wasn’t trying so hard to be manful, he’d be crying.

    1988, Bapsi Sidhwa, Ice-Candy Man, Daunt Books (2016), page 245
  2. broadlyCourageous; noble; high-minded.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivepossessing qualities befitting a man

Similar
manlymanlikeman-sized

adjectivecharacteristic of a man

Similar
malemanlikemanlyvirilemasculine
Also see
malemanlikemanlyman-sizedmasculinevirile

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishmanful
  2. Englishmanful

From Middle English manful, manfull, equivalent to man + -ful.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

manful. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manful

MLA

“manful.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manful. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “manful,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manful.

Source: manful on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.