Androgenic is a word that is used to describe any substance or effect that is related to the development or functioning of male sexual characteristics. However, there are several synonyms that can be used instead of androgenic, such as virilizing, masculinizing, and androgenous. Virilizing is used to describe substances or effects that increase male physical characteristics, whereas masculinizing describes anything that makes a person more masculine in general. Androgenous is a combination of androgenic and androgynous, and is often used to describe things that possess both male and female characteristics. All of these synonyms can be used to help describe the effects of androgenic substances.