metrosexual: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-LowInformal, Journalistic, Colloquial
Quick answer
What does “metrosexual” mean?
A heterosexual man, typically urban, who is meticulous about his grooming, fashion, and lifestyle, often to a degree associated with stereotypical gay male tastes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A heterosexual man, typically urban, who is meticulous about his grooming, fashion, and lifestyle, often to a degree associated with stereotypical gay male tastes.
A broader term, sometimes applied to any gender, describing a person who invests significant time and money in their personal appearance, style, and consumerism related to grooming, fashion, and fitness, irrespective of their sexuality. The focus has shifted somewhat from sexuality to consumer identity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originated in and is equally understood in both BrE and AmE. No significant structural or definitional difference.
Connotations
Connotations are similar: can be used neutrally, admiringly, or pejoratively (implying vanity or narcissism). The stereotype is perhaps more associated with affluent urban centres like London or New York.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British media during its peak, given the term's popularisation by a British journalist. Now comparably low-frequency in both.
Grammar
How to Use “metrosexual” in a Sentence
The {man/model} is a metrosexual.He has a very metrosexual {lifestyle/aesthetic}.The rise of the metrosexual in the 2000s.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “metrosexual” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- His metrosexual aesthetic includes weekly facials and artisanal hair wax.
- The bar caters to a very metrosexual clientele.
American English
- He has a metrosexual approach to grooming, with a bathroom full of products.
- The ad campaign targeted a metrosexual demographic.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in marketing, branding, and lifestyle journalism to describe a target consumer demographic.
Academic
Used in cultural studies, sociology, and gender studies to discuss modern masculinity, consumerism, and identity performance.
Everyday
Used informally, often humorously or descriptively, to comment on a man's attention to appearance. May be considered passé by younger speakers.
Technical
Not a technical term in any field; remains a socio-cultural label.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “metrosexual”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “metrosexual”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “metrosexual”
- Using it to describe any well-dressed man without the connotation of stereotypically feminine-coded grooming habits (e.g., skincare).
- Confusing it with being homosexual.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to metrosexual').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the core definition specifies a heterosexual man whose consumer and grooming habits align with stereotypes traditionally associated with gay culture.
Its peak usage was in the 2000s. It's less common now, often considered a dated cultural label, though the behaviours it describes have become more mainstream.
While the original term was male-specific, it is sometimes extended informally to women with a similar high-investment, style-conscious lifestyle. However, terms like 'fashionista' are more typical.
A dandy is a historical term emphasizing extreme refinement and often aristocratic elegance. A metrosexual is a modern, media-driven construct focused on consumerism, urban living, and breaking gender norms.
A heterosexual man, typically urban, who is meticulous about his grooming, fashion, and lifestyle, often to a degree associated with stereotypical gay male tastes.
Metrosexual is usually informal, journalistic, colloquial in register.
Metrosexual: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmetrə(ʊ)ˈsekʃuəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmetroʊˈsekʃuəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's gone full metrosexual.”
- “A bit of a metro (shortened informal form).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: METRO (city) + SEXUAL (relating to sexuality). A city-dwelling man whose polished style was once stereotypically linked to a different sexuality.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONSUMERISM IS A NEW FORM OF MASCULINITY / APPERANCE IS A PROJECT
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is MOST characteristic of the classic 'metrosexual' stereotype?