drag queen

noun

plural drag queens
: a person and especially a man who performs as an entertainer in usually female drag (see drag entry 3 sense 2a)
Drag queens, who are traditionally male, dress in "drag" as female characters.Laura Wavra
For the past decade, (basically since RuPaul started Drag Race) traditional drag queens (ie, cis men performing as female characters) have been blowing up in the popular zeitgeist …Brittany Knupper
Drag is not simply female impersonation, but involves drag queens exaggerating femininity and drag kings exaggerating masculinity.Shannon Kelly
[Victoria] Sin is a female-bodied non-binary drag queen, examining how Western ideals of femininity are produced and consumed.Amrou Al-Kadhi
They are a black, non-binary drag queen with a beard in a part of the country that has a reputation for being anti-LGBTQ+.Bailey Shelton

Examples of drag queen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The host, producer and mother of all drag queens is now the most nominated reality host in Emmys history. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 15 July 2025 Their stage stays lit up with dazzling performances, from seasoned drag queens to fierce newcomers. Ana Gutierrez Austin American Statesman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 The Stonewall riots of 1969 were led by drag queens with the courage to fight back against persistent police brutality. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2025 Thousands gathered in Los Angeles’ Grand Park with handmade signs, Colonial costumes and riffs on drag queens, turning the anti-Trump demonstration into a creative spectacle of resistance. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for drag queen

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drag queen was circa 1941

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Cite this Entry

“Drag queen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drag%20queen. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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