manifest 1 of 3

manifest

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verb

manifest

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective manifest contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of manifest are apparent, clear, distinct, evident, obvious, patent, and plain. While all these words mean "readily perceived or apprehended," manifest implies an external display so evident that little or no inference is required.

manifest hostility

How do apparent and evident relate to one another, in the sense of manifest?

Apparent is very close to evident except that it may imply more conscious exercise of inference.

for no apparent reason

When could clear be used to replace manifest?

The words clear and manifest can be used in similar contexts, but clear implies an absence of anything that confuses the mind or obscures the pattern.

a clear explanation

In what contexts can distinct take the place of manifest?

The meanings of distinct and manifest largely overlap; however, distinct implies such sharpness of outline or definition that no unusual effort to see or hear or comprehend is required.

a distinct refusal

When might evident be a better fit than manifest?

While in some cases nearly identical to manifest, evident implies presence of visible signs that lead one to a definite conclusion.

an evident fondness for sweets

Where would obvious be a reasonable alternative to manifest?

While the synonyms obvious and manifest are close in meaning, obvious implies such ease in discovering that it often suggests conspicuousness or little need for perspicacity in the observer.

the obvious solution

When can patent be used instead of manifest?

The words patent and manifest are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, patent applies to a cause, effect, or significant feature that is clear and unmistakable once attention has been directed to it.

patent defects

When is plain a more appropriate choice than manifest?

Although the words plain and manifest have much in common, plain suggests lack of intricacy, complexity, or elaboration.

her feelings about him are plain

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 manifest
Adjective
Devastating Pyrotechnics has imported more than 240 shipping containers of fireworks into the country since 2019, according to bills of lading compiled by Import Info, a private company that collects and hosts a database of U.S. Customs’ import manifests. Sacbee.com, 12 July 2025 However, after years of speculation, leaks, and shipping manifests, Digital Foundry suggests that the Switch 2’s processor is an ARM Cortex A78C with CPU clocks that hit 998MHz (docked) and 1,101MHz (mobile), with a max clock speed of 1.7GHz. PC Magazine, 6 July 2025
Verb
The arbitrator's award is usually final since the courts may only review an arbitration award for some very serious error, sometimes known as manifest error, such as where the arbitration process in a particular case was corrupt or if the arbitrator exceeds his or her authority. Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 Michael Kimmelman, The Times’s chief architecture critic and Headway’s editor at large, recently had the chance to see one of these back-to-the-future visions made manifest. New York Times, 1 May 2025
Noun
Then, in the last couple of years, Jim Carrey taught me about manifesting. Frank Digiacomo, Billboard, 15 Aug. 2025 Over on 57th Street, a different vibe manifested at Blancpain. Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for manifest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manifest
Adjective
  • In fact, the limits on Trump’s authority were evident in the order itself.
    Laurie Kellman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
  • What this is: a delicate and contemporary crewneck sweater made out of recycled cashmere, whose quality is evident at first touch.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The incident reports speak little to the threats to traffic safety in Southeast Nashville but the data reveals another trend: census tracts that are 33%, 47% and 57% Hispanic or Latino.
    Liam Adams, The Tennessean, 29 Aug. 2025
  • In 2018, university researchers published a study revealing cattle were used to haul goods in Europe as early as 6,000 BC — two millennia earlier than once thought.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Neil Buchan Grant - Black And White Photo Awards 2025 A Vietnamese couple with a combined age of 196 years embody enduring love and humor.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Festival goers can enjoy performances by various artists across genres embodying NYC’s cultural diversity, including jazz, hip-hop, Latin, world, indie, and contemporary dance.
    Billboard Japan, Billboard, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Markets Reflect Lower Economic Risk The S&P 500’s small gain for the week is deceiving, as the index closed lower in the first four days of the trading week before rising by 1.5% following Powell’s comments on Friday.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
  • The heat index — the mix of air temperatures and humidity — is expected to climb into the triple digits.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • They were supported by helicopters and drones and managed to track him to a loading dock.
    Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Finance teams were never meant to be call centers or human ETLs, extracting, transforming and loading data.
    Carlos Vega, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • That much was apparent as Washington put on a show in the Dolphins’ 14-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2025
  • But when the team moved on to testing if the prosthesis could decode unstructured inner speech, the limitations of the BCI became quite apparent.
    Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • There will still be the chance to display betting firms on the sleeves of kits, advertising boards and on training wear, but it is forecast that the value of some sponsorship deals could be halved in the next 12 months.
    Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
  • What To Know Several state laws requiring the religious text to be displayed in public classrooms have been at least temporarily blocked.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Federal legislation banning the app, if its U.S. assets are not sold by ByteDance, came after some government officials expressed concern that TikTok poses a national security threat, believing ByteDance, which is based in Beijing, is sharing U.S. user data with China.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Outside the classroom, a teacher is a private citizen and can generally express their First Amendment rights without interference.
    Cate Charron, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Manifest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manifest. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.

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