variants also mannikin
Definition of manikinnext
1
as in doll
a three-dimensional representation of the human body used especially for displaying clothes the store has manikins so lifelike that they have startled me on more than one occasion

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2
as in model
a person who poses with or wears merchandise (as clothes) often for pictorial advertising the undulating movements of the manikins as they strutted down the catwalk

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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 manikin In another test, a human operator guided the robot through movements similar to a massage or medical procedure performed on a manikin. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026 On Thursday, paramedics practiced responding to a patient who had drowned in a water park using a pediatric manikin. Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026 Most notably, the Orion capsule of 2022’s Artemis I mission was outfitted with more than 5,600 radiation sensors, including some placed within two manikins to measure what astronauts might experience. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 31 Mar. 2026 Key components include three simulation suites with a control room capable of running multiple scenarios simultaneously, five programmable manikins, multiple classrooms and flexible learning spaces, workrooms and an American Heart Association Training Center. Mark Mondier, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manikin
Noun
  • The thing that first struck Sawyer was his giant collection of dolls.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 May 2026
  • The craft class for schoolgirls — including how to fabricate doll furniture — would be continued Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for the duration of the summer.
    Eric DuVall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • That realization would lead to the launch of Authentic Studios in 2023 — and with it, a new model for how fashion and lifestyle brands can operate as content creators.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
  • Aside from the fans, real-life OnlyFans models have taken issue with Cassie’s portrayal and content on the show.
    Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Remember when dummies like me were saying he was overpaid because of the Columbus Tax or whatever?
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • More than a dozen city, county and state agencies worked together, deploying drones, using dummies as cadavers, and taking on the roles of victims, triage and others to make the drill as realistic as possible.
    Mark Prussin, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Riley had achieved the effect by using an elaborate pinwheel mechanism that spun mannequin legs at lightning speed.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
  • What are the many festival costumiers and their more-and-less-famous mannequins to do?
    Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Manikin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manikin. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

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