manner

noun man·ner \ ˈma-nər \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

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

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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

Sources close to the process say the range of discussion in terms of scope and manner are narrowing, and an agreement may come within one or two weeks, and possibly sooner.

— CBS News, "Trump begins initial preparation for possible interview with Mueller," 7 Apr. 2018
The manner in which McIlroy won that tournament should stoke his confidence Sunday.

— karen crouse, New York Times, "Patrick Reed Leads the Masters, With Rory McIlroy’s Grand Slam Hopes Lurking," 7 Apr. 2018
Though Fulton County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jan Gorniak told reporters that the preliminary cause of death is drowning, the manner of death has not been determined.

— sydney scott, Essence.com, "Missing CDC Scientist Timothy Cunningham Found Dead," 6 Apr. 2018
But even antibodies that didn’t fit the virus in the traditional manner were still found to inhibit the virus.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Overlooked antibodies play star role in fighting flu, Scripps Research-led study finds," 6 Apr. 2018
Laura Dern, Witherspoon’s Wild co-star and good friend, uses her Instagram in the same sort of manner: a mix of day-to-day ephemera (a martini glass, Jurassic Park socks!) with project or advocacy-related content.

— josh duboff, Vanities, "Why Nicole Kidman’s Instagram Marks a New Era in Stardom," 6 Apr. 2018
Even the manner in which the dispute has played out illustrates the gulf that separates Trump and Bezos, in their personal styles and in their conceptions of the country's present and prospects.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "Why Trump went after Bezos: 2 billionaires but worlds apart," 5 Apr. 2018
The upshot was a screaming match on the telephone in which, as the film describes it, the president used all manner of expletives and McConnell—who rarely raises his voice—replied in kind.

— dorothy rabinowitz, WSJ, "‘Trump’s Takeover’ Review: Conflicts and Chaos," 5 Apr. 2018
Until now, Facebook’s success has come despite Zuckerberg’s stilted manner.

— felix salmon, WIRED, "The Case for A Zuck-Free Facebook," 3 Apr. 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

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.