mannered

adjective

man·​nered ˈma-nərd 

1

: having manners of a specified kind

well-mannered

2

a

: having or displaying a particular manner

b

: having an artificial or stilted character

… passages are so mannered as to be unintelligible …

—R. G. G. Price

Examples of mannered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Even the usually mild-mannered Geneveive wants to buy whatever Coach is selling. —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026

As for the music, it’s aptly encoded with cosmic winks and shrugs — layers of paradoxical noises that feel messy and mannered, casual and serious, loose and tight, hungry and wise. —Chris Richards, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2026

The book follows two former best friends and travel buddies—an adventurous blogger and a mild-mannered English teacher—who reunite to renew their summer tradition of going on vacation together and realize their relationship may be something more. —Ben Rosenstock, Time, 26 Dec. 2025

Watada cuts between mannered conversations in the dining hall and a character playing a raucous drum solo. —Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mannered

• ill-mannered
• mild-mannered
• well-mannered

Kids Definition

mannered

adjective

man·​nered ˈman-ərd 

: having manners of a specified kind

well-mannered

mild-mannered