tomboy

noun

tom·​boy ˈtäm-ˌbȯi How to pronounce tomboy (audio)
: a girl who behaves in a manner usually considered boyish
tomboyish adjective
tomboyishness noun

Examples of tomboy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The parents of the high school girl are urging Cline to resign from the school board, telling CNN affiliate KSL that their daughter is a tomboy who has short hair, wears baggy clothing and has muscles from going to the gym. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024 The essence of movement and spectacle sets them apart — and the expressiveness of Kora’s flashbacks, conveying her emotional need and androgynous mystery (creating promise for Part II), surpasses the juvenile tomboy gestures of Daisy Ridley’s Rey in the Star Wars saga. Armond White, National Review, 20 Dec. 2023 The Row Jules Derby shoes The Row’s derby shoes add a chic tomboy element. Porter Simmons, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023 The two then combined their different families, Somers’ two daughters and young son and Duffy’s two boys and tomboy girl middle child, under one roof. Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Oct. 2023 Having grown up in the country, the girls were always outdoors and embraced their tomboy sides, doing everything from riding four-wheelers to hiking through the woods with their cousins. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 3 Oct. 2023 Roberta is a tomboy, perplexed by the changes in her developing body. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 7 Aug. 2023 Advertisement Lister, a precocious tomboy who seemingly knows something about everything, and Raine, a half-Indian heiress born out of wedlock, were fellow outcasts who found each other at the Manor School in 1805. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2023 The singer-songwriter also became known for her signature tomboy style which consisted of loose, boxy clothing that concealed her body. USA TODAY, 30 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tomboy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tomboy was in 1566

Dictionary Entries Near tomboy

Cite this Entry

“Tomboy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomboy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tomboy

noun
tom·​boy ˈtäm-ˌbȯi How to pronounce tomboy (audio)
: a girl who enjoys things some people think are more suited to boys
tomboyish adjective
tomboyishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tomboy

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