manifesto

1 of 2

noun

man·​i·​fes·​to ˌma-nə-ˈfe-(ˌ)stō How to pronounce manifesto (audio)
plural manifestos or manifestoes
Synonyms of manifesto
: a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer
The group's manifesto focused on helping the poor and stopping violence.

manifesto

2 of 2

verb

manifestoed; manifestoing; manifestos

intransitive verb

: to issue a manifesto

Did you know?

Manifesto Has Latin Roots

Manifesto is related to manifest, which occurs in English as a noun, verb, and adjective. Of these, the adjective, which means "readily perceived by the senses," is oldest, dating to the 14th century. Both manifest and manifesto derive ultimately from the Latin noun manus ("hand") and -festus, a combining form of uncertain meaning that is also found in the Latin adjective infestus ("hostile"), an ancestor of the English infest. Something that is manifest is easy to perceive or recognize, and a manifesto is a statement in which someone makes his or her intentions or views easy for people to ascertain. Perhaps the most well-known statement of this sort is the Communist Manifesto, written in 1848 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to outline the platform of the Communist League.

Examples of manifesto 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.
Noun
This may be the most important development in personal branding since Tom Peters published his manifesto, The Brand Called You, in Fast Company back in 1997. William Arruda, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 Authorities are investigating it as a hate crime after finding evidence that the perpetrators had been radicalized online and wrote a manifesto full of Neo Nazi and racist beliefs. Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026 Leo called Monday for a robust regulation of artificial intelligence and for its developers to work for the common good rather than profit, issuing a sweeping manifesto on safeguarding humankind as the technology impacts everything from work to war. Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026 The capsule collection to be unveiled in June is expected to serve as a manifesto and define Lauro’s vision, rooted in high-octane sensuality with a mannish edge. Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 26 May 2026 The sweeping manifesto is about safeguarding humanity in an era of increasing reliance on artificial intelligence. Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026 The manifesto cites White supremacist and neo-Nazi ideology, repeats tropes and rails against a cross-section of groups — religious, ethnic, women and LGBTQ+ communities. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026 Charli first teased the new song in a Substack on Monday, posting what appeared to be either lyrics or a fashion-capsule manifesto. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 21 May 2026 Remily was only able to share a few details of the investigation but confirmed investigators had recovered a manifesto that the FBI is analyzing. Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 19 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Italian, denunciation, manifest, from manifestare to manifest, from Latin, from manifestus

First Known Use

Noun

1620, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1748, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manifesto was in 1620

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Manifesto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manifesto. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

manifesto

noun
man·​i·​fes·​to
ˌman-ə-ˈfes-tō
plural manifestos or manifestoes
: a public declaration of intentions or views

More from Merriam-Webster on manifesto

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster