manner

noun man·ner \ ˈma-nər \

|Updated on: 17 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: manner in a Sentence

Definition of manner

1 a (1) : a characteristic or customary mode of acting : custom

stopped to speak, after the manner of the country
—Ellen Glasgow

(2) : a mode of procedure or way of acting : fashion

responded in a lively manner

(3) : method of artistic execution (see execution 1) or mode of presentation : style

offers plenty of room for many jazz manners Wilder Hobson

b manners plural : social conduct or rules of conduct as shown in the prevalent customs

Victorian manners

c : characteristic or distinctive bearing (see bearing 1), air, or deportment

his poised gracious manner

d manners plural

(1) : habitual conduct or deportment : behavior

mind your manners

(2) : good manners

Someone should teach you some manners.

e : a distinguished or stylish air

taught to acquire a manner suitable to her station

2 a : kind, sort

what manner of man is he

b : kinds, sorts

all manner of problems

—

mannerless

play \ˈma-nər-ləs\ adjective

— to the manner born

: fitted by or as if by birth or rearing to a particular position, role, or status

was not to the manner born, and did not go to prep schools or to an Ivy League school
—Peter Tryell

See manner defined for English-language learners

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Examples of manner in a Sentence

She has a very forceful manner of speaking.
I objected to the manner in which the decision was made.
Some people have no manners.
Someone should teach you some manners!
He forgot his manners and reached across the table for the salt.
He painted this picture in his early manner.

Recent Examples of manner from the Web

Photo: istock With these new plates came different foods and table manners.

— bee wilson, WSJ, "The Comfort of Bowl Food," 13 July 2018
In our noisy, look-at-me Internet world, Ross’s tranquil manner is an oasis.

— julia lyon, Washington Post, "People are waiting in line. Is it Hamilton? No, it’s Bob Ross on YouTube.," 13 July 2018
But the glacial pace and chaotic manner of the reunification effortssuggests ongoing difficulty as the government struggles to reunify the remaining thousands of children by its next deadline of July 26.

— lomi kriel, San Antonio Express-News, "Half of migrants under 5 reunited with parents, though rest remain ‘ineligible’," 12 July 2018
The pumps chomp up all manner of fish, including salmon and endangered tiny native smelt.

— george skelton, latimes.com, "What do Southern Californians really get out of Gov. Jerry Brown's twin tunnels project?," 12 July 2018
Blomkamp’s tech-heavy films, featuring all manner of exo-suits, robots, political conflicts, and bloody splatter effects owe much of their identity to the 1987 film.

— richard newby, The Hollywood Reporter, "Why 'Robocop' and Neill Blomkamp Need Each Other," 11 July 2018
The coroner’s office was scheduled to conduct an autopsy on Anderson on Tuesday, with a final manner of death to be determined later, police said.

— mike nolan, Daily Southtown, "Orland Park man dies after car found wrecked in ditch, police say," 10 July 2018
Migrants have crammed themselves into all manner of compartments built to avoid detection.

— nicholas kulish, The Seattle Times, "Human smuggling cat-and-mouse game plays out beyond the U.S.-Mexico border," 9 July 2018
The Clistopyga has a particularly gruesome manner of laying eggs: first, the wasp finds spider nests, then paralyzes the spider with venom.

— laura yan, Popular Mechanics, "Newly Discovered Wasp Has a Terrifyingly Large Stinger," 8 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'manner.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of manner

Middle English manere, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *manuaria, from Latin, feminine of manuarius of the hand, from manus hand — more at manual

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2a

See Words from the same year

manner Synonyms

Synonyms

approach, fashion, form, how, method, methodology, recipe, strategy, style, system, tack, tactics, technique, way;

Related Words

mode, modus operandi;

blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, intrigue, layout, line, model, plan, plot, program, route, scheme;

expedient, move, shift, step;

practice (also practise), process, routine;

policy;

Synonym Discussion of manner

bearing, deportment, demeanor, mien, manner, carriage mean the outward manifestation of personality or attitude. bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture.

- a woman of regal bearing

deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training.

- your deportment was atrocious

demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior.

- the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter

mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor.

- a mien of supreme self-satisfaction

manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others.

- the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders

carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking.

- the kind of carriage learned at boarding school

method, mode, manner, way, fashion, system mean the means taken or procedure followed in achieving an end. method implies an orderly logical arrangement usually in steps.