andropause

noun

an·​dro·​pause ˈan-drə-ˌpȯz How to pronounce andropause (audio)
: a gradual and highly variable decline in the production of androgenic hormones and especially testosterone in the human male together with its associated effects that is held to occur during and after middle age

called also climacteric, male menopause

Examples of andropause in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What’s Happening Doctors are drawing a sharper line between menopause and the gradual testosterone decline sometimes labeled andropause or late-onset hypogonadism. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026 For instance, obesity, diabetes, thyroid conditions, or depression can contribute to or exacerbate the symptoms experienced by men during andropause. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026 Doctors say andropause, the gradual loss of male hormonal function, is worth understanding because symptoms often get mistaken for stress, aging or depression. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026 For context, 99% of women feel menopause symptoms have negatively affected their career and 51% of men reported deterioration in work performance due to andropause. — Eva Epker, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for andropause

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from andro- andro- + -pause (in ménopause menopause)

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of andropause was in 1967

Rhymes for andropause

See All Rhymes for andropause

Browse Nearby Words

andromonoecious
andropause
androphilic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Andropause.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/andropause. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Medical Definition

andropause

noun
an·​dro·​pause ˈan-drə-ˌpȯz How to pronounce andropause (audio)
: a gradual and highly variable decline in the production of androgenic hormones and especially testosterone in the human male together with its associated effects that is held to occur during and after middle age but is often difficult to discriminate from the effects of confounding factors (as chronic illness, stress, or medication use) that can depress testosterone levels

called also male climacteric, male menopause, viropause

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