Meaning & use
man's man
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Meanings
nouncountableinformal
A man who is admired by other men for having qualities traditionally seen as masculine, such as toughness, confidence, or loyalty.
Grammar: Countable noun phrase; plural is 'man's men'.
Patterns
- a man's man
- be a man's man
He's a man's man: he loves fishing, fixing cars, and never complains.
In the old westerns, the hero was always a man's man who could handle any fight.
My grandfather was a man's man, respected by all the men in the village.
nouncountable
A man who prefers the company of other men and enjoys activities traditionally associated with men.
Grammar: Often used to describe someone's social preferences.
Patterns
- a man's man
- be a man's man
He's always been a man's man, spending his weekends at the pub with his mates.
Some people say he's a man's man because he avoids mixed social events.
As a man's man, he felt more at ease in the locker room than at a dinner party.
Word forms
| plural | man's men |
|---|
Common combinations
- a real man's man
- Her father was a real man's man, always ready to help with heavy work.
- be a man's man
- He tries to be a man's man, but he's actually quite sensitive.
- a man's man type
- He's not the man's man type; he prefers reading to sports.
Synonyms and how they differ
- macho man
- This emphasizes exaggerated masculinity and often has a disapproving tone, while 'man's man' is usually neutral or approving.
- guy's guy
- This is the informal equivalent for a man who fits well with male friends, but it is less common and more casual.
Commonly confused: man's man or man of the people?
man's man vs man of the people
This means a man who is seen as ordinary and connected to common people, not specifically admired by other men for masculine traits.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'man's man' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The second option correctly uses 'man's man' to describe a man admired by other men. The first is wrong because the phrase refers to a man, not a woman. The third contradicts the meaning. The fourth uses the plural incorrectly and changes the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “man's man”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.