manner

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 The hiring freeze was implemented in light of that financial situation, and to ensure the university’s more limited resources are being allocated in a consistent manner. — Ron Kroichick, SFChronicle.com, "Hundreds of UC Berkeley lecturers fear losing jobs," 17 May 2020 The directive also said that restaurants and bars can close off dance floors and place tables in a manner that complies with social distancing, change hours of operations to be consistent with restaurants, among other things. — al, "Coronavirus killed the party: Alabama halts reopening of night clubs and bar games," 17 May 2020 The lesbians became the bacchants of Euripides, killing him in a festive manner. — Andrew Martin, The New York Review of Books, "Getting Away With It," 13 May 2020 JioMart is bringing together online and offline shopping world in a harmonious manner. — Sangeeta Tanwar, Quartz India, "Even with WhatsApp’s 400 million Indian users, JioMart’s success is not guaranteed," 5 May 2020 The archdiocese is expected to continue operating in a relatively normal manner. — CBS News, "New Orleans archdiocese files for partially virus-linked bankruptcy," 1 May 2020 There are countries on the continent where vaccines and medical research are viewed with suspicion, and where both have been linked to activities, in the name of medicine, which were carried out in a grossly unethical manner. — Gale Ure, Quartz Africa, "African scientists must make sure they are part of the search for a coronavirus vaccine," 25 Apr. 2020 The tech companies designed the system in a manner that puts much of the power and responsibility in the hands of the public officials developing health apps based on it. — Washington Post, "The Technology 202: There are a lot of questions about Google and Apple's big coronavirus effort," 13 Apr. 2020 Flying an aircraft is a very technical skill but playing a musical instrument exercises your brain in a completely different manner. — Charlie Page, Condé Nast Traveler, "A Major Airline Pilot On How He's Spending His Time During the Coronavirus Outbreak," 25 Mar. 2020

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.