as in valiant
feeling or displaying no fear by temperament
he made the manful decision to stick by his friends when everyone else had abandoned them
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Recent Examples of manful
Intermittent fasting was of a piece with an interest in manful self-improvement via stoicism.
—
Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024
Camping with a rogue dynamiter, Siringo stuck elk horns into two neighboring peaks and claimed to have named the mountains in honor of their manful bond.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023
The other deputies smiled, ready to toast the capital with manful drafts of vodka.
—Alex Halberstadt, Town & Country, 9 Oct. 2015
Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024
Camping with a rogue dynamiter, Siringo stuck elk horns into two neighboring peaks and claimed to have named the mountains in honor of their manful bond.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023
The other deputies smiled, ready to toast the capital with manful drafts of vodka.
—Alex Halberstadt, Town & Country, 9 Oct. 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manful
Adjective
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Call it a valiant, optimistic, perhaps even a calamitous misreading.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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In addition to implementing many voluntary changes, and even after a valiant legal fight and court victory, Harvard may still make a deal to get Trump off its back.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This is a courageous act that requires vulnerability over cowardice.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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The school has been the courageous standard bearer of academic freedom in the assault on higher education.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have returned to the streets demanding a brave leadership.—
Ron Scherf,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
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So carefree, fearless, brave and radiant.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Continue reading … MCCARTHY MAGIC – Vikings QB shakes off early struggles with a heroic victory in his first career start.—
,
FOXNews.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The 10th hole begins with a heroic tee shot over the surf before climbing toward a green tucked between rock outcroppings and heather.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The experience of secession, of war, of industrial slaughter and gallant sacrifice, of Black soldiery and humanity all reforged Lincoln into a stronger alloy.—
Jack Sheehan
September 4,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
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The pre-match tifo at the Roker End depicted the County Durham legend of the giant Lambton worm, slayed by a gallant local hero.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Look, the kid’s obviously fearless.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
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Turner will play Lara Croft, the fearless British archaeologist who’s always ready to swing into action with her iconic braid flying and dual pistols blazing.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manful. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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