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

For example: If a deaf person goes to check into a hotel, the hotel staff must be ready to communicate with them in an appropriate manner, and not just try to raise their voice to the deaf person. — Rachel Withers, Vox, "George H.W. Bush was a champion for people with disabilities," 2 Dec. 2018 The rules are now open to a comment period, which means the public can air their concerns and, if written in a correct and compelling manner, the department must respond or else face potential lawsuits. — Cady Drell, Marie Claire, "What to Know About The Title IX Changes—And How You Can Fight Them," 20 Nov. 2018 Like many of the impacts of a warming planet, the serious economic reverberations and permanent damage caused by declining coastal property values are simply not being addressed in an urgent enough manner. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "Climate change and the coming coastal real estate crash," 16 Oct. 2018 If our leaders don’t learn to communicate in an engaging manner, our entertainers will become politicians. — Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, "How Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Other Progressives are Defining the Midterms," 15 Oct. 2018 Clayton has been really good at doing it in an efficient and winning manner. — Kevin Acee, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Padres notes: Richard's efficient run; Hughes, Mitchell progress; slump numbers," 3 July 2018 The handsome doorman with a headset serves more as traffic cop than bouncer, funneling in the clusters of boys in an efficient and friendly manner. — Brian Sloan, New York Times, "A (Mostly) Gay, Celebrity-Filled Party Returns to the Bowery," 3 July 2018 And for literary nerds, there is a narrative voice shift midway through that amps up the suspense level in an unexpected but completely welcome manner. — Rachel King, Fortune, "Eight Business Books That Are Actually Great Summer Beach Reads," 26 June 2018 Unlike birds, the moths either failed to react to the movement of the field or reacted in an unpredictable manner. — The Economist, "The first clear evidence of a sense of magnetism in insects," 21 June 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.