emasculating
Stripping of power
Emasculating describes something that undermines a man's sense of masculinity or makes him feel weak, powerless, or inadequate.
The term derives from the literal meaning of emasculate—to castrate—but is almost always used figuratively to describe experiences, comments, or situations that diminish male confidence or authority.
He found it emasculating to be corrected by his wife in front of his friends.
The word carries assumptions about what masculinity should look like, so its use can reveal as much about the speaker's values as about the situation being described.
Weakening someone's spirit
- castratingRemoving male reproductive organs
- feminizingMaking more womanly
- weakeningBecoming less strong
- neuteringSurgical sterilization of animals
gelding · disempowering · desexing · stripping · depriving · diminishing · belittling · infantilizing
Causing painful embarrassment
- belittlingExpressing contempt or dismissiveness
- demeaningCausing loss of respect
- degradingLowering in worth
- shamingCausing feelings of disgrace
diminishing · deflating · crushing · embittering · wounding · scarring · intimidating · domineering
Removing capacity to act
- underminingWeakening by covert means
- weakeningBecoming less strong
- strippingRemoving outer layers
- neuteringSurgical sterilization of animals
defanging · declawing · debilitating · crippling · hobbling · incapacitating · sidelining · marginalizing
Male-dominated social order
- machismoExcessive masculine pride
- manhoodAdult male status
- virilityMasculine strength and potency
- potencyDegree of strength
dominance · breadwinner · provider · protector · traditional · gender roles · crisis · identity
unmanning
Weakening someone's spirit
- castratingRemoving male reproductive organs
- feminizingMaking more womanly
- weakeningBecoming less strong
neutering · gelding · disempowering · desexing · stripping · depriving · diminishing · belittling · infantilizing · subordinating
humiliating
Causing painful embarrassment
- belittlingExpressing contempt or dismissiveness
- demeaningCausing loss of respect
- degradingLowering in worth
shaming · diminishing · deflating · crushing · embittering · wounding · scarring · intimidating · domineering · overbearing
disempowering
Removing capacity to act
- underminingWeakening by covert means
- weakeningBecoming less strong
- strippingRemoving outer layers
neutering · defanging · declawing · debilitating · crippling · hobbling · incapacitating · sidelining · marginalizing · subordinating
patriarchy
Male-dominated social order
potency · dominance · breadwinner · provider · protector · traditional · gender roles · crisis · identity · expectations
emasculatingempowering
Giving authority or confidence
strengthening · enabling · emboldening · fortifying · invigorating
emasculatingmasculinizing
Inducing male characteristics
affirming · validating · dignifying · bolstering · ennobling