manner

Definition of mannernext
1
as in etiquette
manners plural personal conduct or behavior as evaluated by an accepted standard of appropriateness for a social or professional setting the young man's impeccable manners are an unmistakable sign of a good upbringing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in mode
a distinctive way of putting ideas into words the former doctor writes his novels very much in the manner of someone who is used to observing the smallest details

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun manner contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of manner are bearing, carriage, demeanor, deportment, and mien. While all these words mean "the outward manifestation of personality or attitude," manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others.

the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders

When can bearing be used instead of manner?

The meanings of bearing and manner largely overlap; however, bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture.

a woman of regal bearing

When could carriage be used to replace manner?

The words carriage and manner are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking.

the kind of carriage learned at boarding school

In what contexts can demeanor take the place of manner?

The synonyms demeanor and manner are sometimes interchangeable, but demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior.

the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter

When is deportment a more appropriate choice than manner?

The words deportment and manner can be used in similar contexts, but deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training.

your deportment was atrocious

Where would mien be a reasonable alternative to manner?

In some situations, the words mien and manner are roughly equivalent. However, mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor.

a mien of supreme self-satisfaction

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of manner No details were released about the cause or manner of death. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026 Footwear with impeccable manners and a very special kind of poise is grown-up in the best sense of the word. Alex Sales, Glamour, 5 Apr. 2026 Moments after UConn freshman Braylon Mullins hit a 3-pointer to take a late lead over Duke in the Elite Eight, Huskies coach Dan Hurley appeared to lower his head and make contact with a referee in an intimidating manner. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 4 Apr. 2026 For the hallway in particular, Ardalan and his team had to determine the height of the wooden panels, how to install them in a uniform manner, and how many panels to use while still allowing the spaces to breathe. Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manner
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manner
Noun
  • In 2016, Brooks could not even conceive of the spasms and breaches of etiquette that Trumpism would produce on an almost daily basis.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The bundle also includes specialty courses like ASL for babies and toddlers — helpful for early communication — along with scuba diving hand signals and an introductory e-book on the origins and etiquette of sign language.
    StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • However, gardens are highly disturbed, and these natural modes of pest management are often disrupted.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The mechanism moves awkwardly from driving modes to the paddle-shifting option or into reverse.
    James Raia, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Daisie, 14, full of laughter and positive energy, is a one-of-a-kind personality.
    The Star April 4, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The district is the first of its kind in the country, home to the densest enclave of Arab Americans in Orange County and more than 100 Arab and Middle East/North African businesses.
    Victoria Le, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Choose slow, steady methods and stick with what already works to defend your long-term strength.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Fundamentally, one analyst said, a Factbook assembled by a government agency with secret agendas and shadowy methods might never have been unbiased in the first place.
    Laurie Kellman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • His smile and calm demeanor will be greatly missed.
    David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The apartments are almost exactly uniform in their square footage, in their coloring, and in their overall demeanor.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • If the creation of fiction is a layered endeavor—if premise, plot, style, and so on are to some extent separable—then must all the layers be made by the same individual?
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The styles have polarized lenses and feature 100% UVA/UVB protection.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • But, by the same token, the virtues of the traditional approach, which once hardly needed to be articulated, now stand in greater relief.
    Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
  • In March, China passed a law that experts say cements its assimilationist approach towards its ethnic minority groups, building on years of policy changes at the provincial level in Xinjiang and elsewhere.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As Merlin learned how to use the pre-recorded buttons, audiences fell in love with the then-tiny pig’s big attitude.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The movement language expresses attitude, with its amalgam of hip-hop, jazz, ballet, Korean traditional dance and musical theater.
    Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Manner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manner. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

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