Synonyms of manner

manner

noun

ˈma-nər 

1

as in etiquette

manners plural personal conduct or behavior as evaluated by an accepted standard of appropriateness for a social or professional setting

the young man's impeccable manners are an unmistakable sign of a good upbringing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• etiquette
• demeanor
• attitude
• form
• posture
• practice
• proprieties
• mode
• politeness
• habit
• mores
• rules
• style
• presence
• deportment
• convention
• protocol
• mien
• decorum
• custom
• bearing
• way
• amenities
• courtesy
• civilities
• pleasantries
• formalities
• mannerliness
• pattern
• carriage
• fashion
• air
• pose
• trick
• poise
• polish
• wont

2

as in mode

a distinctive way of putting ideas into words

the former doctor writes his novels very much in the manner of someone who is used to observing the smallest details

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mode
• style
• tone
• vein
• fashion
• phraseology
• locution
• delivery
• idiom
• expression
• address
• elocution
• connotation
• colloquialism
• regionalism
• acceptation
• denotation

3

as in kind

a number of persons or things that are grouped together because they have something in common

fish and all manner of sea life on view at the aquarium

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kind
• type
• sort
• genre
• stripe
• variety
• nature
• breed
• description
• species
• order
• kidney
• persuasion
• class
• strain
• like
• ilk
• feather
• model
• category
• specimen
• sample
• grouping
• group
• family
• bracket
• suite
• bunch
• set
• division
• grade
• lot
• rank(s)

4

as in method

the means or procedure for doing something

you happened to reach the correct answer, but the manner by which you solved the problem was all wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

• method
• approach
• way
• strategy
• methodology
• technique
• how
• system
• style
• tactics
• fashion
• recipe
• form
• process
• plan
• mode
• tack
• route
• program
• model
• scheme
• policy
• design
• practice
• layout
• move
• game
• plot
• step
• routine
• shift
• modus operandi
• blueprint
• expedient
• ground plan
• game plan
• line
• intrigue

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun manner contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of manner are bearing, carriage, demeanor, deportment, and mien. While all these words mean "the outward manifestation of personality or attitude," manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others.

the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders

When can bearing be used instead of manner?

The meanings of bearing and manner largely overlap; however, bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture.

a woman of regal bearing

When could carriage be used to replace manner?

The words carriage and manner are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking.

the kind of carriage learned at boarding school

In what contexts can demeanor take the place of manner?

The synonyms demeanor and manner are sometimes interchangeable, but demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior.

the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter

When is deportment a more appropriate choice than manner?

The words deportment and manner can be used in similar contexts, but deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training.

your deportment was atrocious

Where would mien be a reasonable alternative to manner?

In some situations, the words mien and manner are roughly equivalent. However, mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor.

a mien of supreme self-satisfaction

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of manner

His manner creates an intimacy that is truly rare. —Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026

For an uncrewed test flight in 2014, called EFT-1, the mission team outfitted an Orion capsule with a heat shield applied in the same manner as in the Apollo era — in an intricate honeycomb-like structure. —Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026

Berg certainly does; his manner of focusing wasn’t to pare away information, but instead to dig deep into the archives. —Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026

Judith Martin's Miss Manners column has chronicled the continuous rise and fall of American manners since 1978. —Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026