deflower

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "deflower" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in a metaphorical sense to refer to the loss of innocence or purity, often in a sexual context. Example: "The story revolves around a young woman who feels she has been deflowered by her first romantic experience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

She has imposed strict conditions on the man who would deflower her.

Independent

Why didn't we deflower him before he perished?" The man stood up and tottered toward me.

The New Yorker

Marie Antoinette's prestige depended principally on one attribute — her fertility — and her shy, obese, fifteen-year-old bridegroom wouldn't deflower her (or at least finish the job) for seven years. Louis XVI is, like his wife, something of a cipher, but prolonged exposure to her hectic glamour begins to make his dreariness appealing.

The New Yorker

The breathlessness can be charming (she uses "Gotham" for New York without any archness), and it's certainly preferable to her more contemporary blends of sex and sociology: one female character is described as a "definitely heterosexual woman at peace with her own estrogen," and Valentino himself, we are told, "helped deflower postwar America".

The New Yorker

As it stands, studio executives, from chairman down to associate producer, have the right to deflower us on our wedding night, or any other night or time of day of their choosing.

The New Yorker

I took this to mean a higher class of whore, one of extraordinary beauty or sexual gifts; or else a menage à trois; or the chance to deflower a virgin, or a prepubescent girl, or — and this is really where I thought things were heading, especially when Charlie fell in with "a very smart youth of eighteen, dressed en smoking and with his hair cut à l'américaine" — a prepubescent boy.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

Among the foreign clientèle, the vast majority are Asian nationals: Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Japanese men who believe that deflowering a virgin will rejuvenate and purify them.Meeting the demand is a growing number of ethnic Vietnamese a group historically reviled by the ethnic-Khmer majority, but prized by the visitors for their pale complexions.

The Economist

Minds met, and he became co-editor only to end up in jail, briefly, on an obsco-editor onlywhen toendschoolkids" issup featured Rupert Bear, a chindren's comic-strip character, deflowering "Gipsy Granny".

The Economist

If there is a moral for the snails, though, it is that deflowering virgins is the surest route to a long and fecund life.

The Economist

The writer describes his own deflowering by an eager and generous prostitute when he went, aged 14, to the local brothel to collect a bill for his father, a self-taught homeopathic chemist.

The Economist

She says she managed to avoid the ceremony of mizuage (deflowering) by conversing with the guest who had paid for the privilege until he fell asleep.She was one of the few geishas to learn English.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Opt for more neutral or modern alternatives like "take someone's virginity" or "initiate sexually" when appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "deflower" in contemporary writing without careful consideration. It carries historical baggage and can sound archaic or even disrespectful. Choose more sensitive and appropriate language for modern audiences.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "deflower" is as a transitive verb. It describes the action of taking someone's virginity, as illustrated in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "deflower" functions as a transitive verb, describing the act of depriving someone of virginity. While grammatically correct, as confirmed by Ludwig, it carries historical and potentially offensive connotations. Contemporary usage, predominantly found in News & Media, requires caution. When writing, consider alternatives like "take someone's virginity" or "lose virginity" to avoid outdated and potentially insensitive language. Remember, while "deflower" may be technically correct, its implications can be problematic in modern contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

take someone's virginity

A direct way to describe the act of losing virginity, less euphemistic than "deflower".

despoil

Emphasizes the act of robbing someone of something valuable, similar to "deflower" but more general.

take someone's innocence

Focuses on the loss of purity, a more metaphorical and less explicitly sexual alternative to "deflower".

seduce

Highlights the persuasive aspect of leading someone into sexual activity, less forceful than "deflower".

ravish

Suggests a more violent and forceful taking, a stronger and more negative connotation than "deflower".

violate

Implies a severe breach of someone's personal boundaries, with a strong negative connotation.

initiate sexually

Focuses on the introduction to sexual experience, a more clinical and neutral term.

have sexual relations for the first time

A formal and descriptive way of expressing the first sexual experience.

yield to advances

Indicates a surrender to someone else's advances, implying consent but still a loss of something.

lose virginity

Emphasizes the event from the perspective of the person who is no longer a virgin.

FAQs

What does "deflower" mean?

The term "deflower" traditionally means to take someone's virginity, especially that of a woman. It carries historical and often problematic connotations in modern usage.

What are some less offensive alternatives to "deflower"?

Consider using phrases like "take someone's virginity", "lose virginity", or "first sexual encounter" depending on the context to avoid outdated and potentially offensive language.

Is it appropriate to use "deflower" in academic writing?

Using "deflower" in academic writing can be risky. If discussing historical texts or concepts where the term is relevant, use it with caution and provide context. Otherwise, opt for more neutral and descriptive language.

How has the meaning of "deflower" changed over time?

Historically, "deflower" referred specifically to the act of taking a woman's virginity. Today, the term is less commonly used and often viewed as outdated, sexist, and euphemistic. Modern language tends to favor more direct and neutral descriptions.