manner

noun

man·ner | \ ˈma-nər

Definition of manner

1a(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 sense 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 sense 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

2a : kind, sort what manner of man is he

b : kinds, sorts all manner of problems

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

Other Words from manner Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about manner

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Choose the Right Synonym for 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. effective teaching methods mode implies an order or course followed by custom, tradition, or personal preference. the preferred mode of transportation manner is close to mode but may imply a procedure or method that is individual or distinctive. an odd manner of conducting way is very general and may be used for any of the preceding words. has her own way of doing things fashion may suggest a peculiar or characteristic way of doing something. rushing about in his typical fashion system suggests a fully developed or carefully formulated method often emphasizing rational orderliness. a filing system

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 on the Web Two of the bill's provisions — which would have prevented the election commission and governor from ever expanding vote-by-mail or changing the time, place or manner of an election — were removed entirely by a bi-partisan vote. — Elizabeth Depompei, The Indianapolis Star, "Indiana bill would require voter to provide ID when applying online for absentee ballot," 8 Apr. 2021 Senate Bill 353 would prevent the governor and the Indiana Election Commission from changing the time, place or manner of an election and prohibit them from expanding absentee voting. — Margaret Menge, Washington Examiner, "Eli Lilly, Indiana Democrats oppose bill requiring ID number to request absentee ballot," 7 Apr. 2021 But the ruling doesn’t necessarily mean software developed in a similar manner will always be protected under fair use. — Madeleine Carlisle, Time, "How Google’s Big Supreme Court Victory Could Change Software Forever," 6 Apr. 2021 Enterprise-wide productivity tools such as Office365, Zoom and Slack can be aggregated and normalized in a similar manner. — Mark Settle, Forbes, "Attention All CIOs: The 2022 Budgeting Season Is Already Underway," 6 Apr. 2021 Moreover, the species is thought to have been musical, vocalizing in a manner similar to birds, its evolutionary descendants. — Zachary Lewis, cleveland, "On April Fools’ Day, Cleveland Orchestra boasts of dinosaur discovery at Blossom," 1 Apr. 2021 He's molded Gonzaga basketball in a similar manner, amalgamating mind and body into an offensive juggernaut. — Star Tribune, "Few's mind and body approach puts Gonzaga on cusp of history," 31 Mar. 2021 Egg whites can also be frozen in a similar manner: Simply separate the yolks from the egg, and pour the mixture either into a mold of your choice or a plastic bag. — Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, "How to Freeze Eggs for Cooking and Make-Ahead Recipes, According to Kitchen Experts," 29 Mar. 2021 In a manner very similar to how the Easter date is determined, the exact date of Palm Sunday also changes year to year—in fact, it's connected to the Easter date process. — Marie Milano, Country Living, "When Is Palm Sunday 2021, and Why Does the Date Change Every Year?," 28 Mar. 2021

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.