How to use ladylike in a sentence

11 example sentences · adjective, adverb

Ladylike means of or related to the appearance or behaviour of a well-mannered woman. Example: “Pirates, these women, with their ladylike briefcases for the loot and their horsy, acquisitive teeth.”

Examples of ladylike by meaning

adjectiveOf or related to the appearance or behaviour of a well-mannered woman.

Pirates, these women, with their ladylike briefcases for the loot and their horsy, acquisitive teeth.1985, Margaret Atwood, “Soul Scrolls”, in The Handmaid’s Tale, Toronto, Ont.: McClelland and Stewart, →ISBN, page 165

adverbIn the manner of a lady.

Mirrin had lifted her second cup of tea, holding it, ladylike, with finger and thumb of her right hand while her left palm supported the saucer.1976, Jessica Stirling [pseudonym; Hugh Crauford Rae], The Hiring Fair, Coronet Books, published 1998, →ISBN, page 271
They can’t walk ladylike, they can’t sit ladylike, and God forbid they should have to run!1980 April 21, Been There [pseudonym], “Dear Abby: Americans Want More Than Orientals Express”, in The Daily News Journal, 132nd year...
Taught me to speak ladylike . . . well, ladylike enough to pass in the shop.1998, Patricia Grey, chapter 22, in Cutter’s Wharf, large print edition, Anstey, Leicestershire: Charnwood, F. A. Thorpe (Publishing)...

More sentences with ladylike

He rode astride while hawking; she falconed in the ladylike position of sidesaddle.2003, Brenda Joyce, House of Dreams, page 175. From the entry falcon
She smooths her skirt, looking as composed and ladylike as possible.1961, William Gibson, The Miracle Worker, →ISBN, page 37. From the entry smooth
Suits once implied a lean, ladylike skirt and a crisp jacket — that now-vintage look of the Ladies Who Lunch.2015 August 26, Bobbi Queen, “Resort 2016 Trend: Lightweight Suits”, in Women's Wear Daily, archived from the original on 28 Mar 2017. From the entry legginglike
Ever since Professor Yoshizaki admired this pose as looking particularly cute and young ladylike, I had been trying it out every chance I got.2006, Natsuo Kirino [pseudonym; Mariko Hashioka], translated by Rebecca Copeland., “Jizō of Desire: Kazue’s Journals”, in Grotesque, New…. From the entry young ladylike
The gentlemanly gorilla and his ladylike gorillesses will do feats of health and strength that will be the marvel of the city.1916 October 29, “‘I’ll Drag 100 Girls with Up-Hill Pull,’ Says Gorilla […]”, in The Houston Chronicle, volume 16, number 16, Houston…. From the entry gorilless
She was of the old school when the issues were simple—ladylike and young ladylike bringing-up, a fortune in prospect, a suitable mate in due course.1906, Richard Whiteing, chapter I, in Ring in the New, New York, N.Y.: Century Co., →OCLC, page 6. From the entry young ladylike
The horribly ladylike lady who kept the teashop was a semifriend as well as an employer, and thus could sweat and bully Julia to the tune of 'dearest' and 'darling'.1936, George Orwell, Keep the Aspidistra Flying. From the entry semifriend

Meaning of ladylike

adjective Of or related to the appearance or behaviour of a well-mannered woman.
adverb In the manner of a lady.

Full definition of ladylike

Questions about ladylike in a sentence

How do you use ladylike in a sentence?: Ladylike is used as an adjective and adverb. For example: “Pirates, these women, with their ladylike briefcases for the loot and their horsy, acquisitive teeth.”
What is a short sentence with ladylike?: “She smooths her skirt, looking as composed and ladylike as possible.”
What does ladylike mean?: Ladylike means of or related to the appearance or behaviour of a well-mannered woman.

Adapted from Wiktionary: ladylike (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use ladylike in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/ladylike. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.