manners

noun

plural of manner
as in demeanor
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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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 manners Swift drops clues in all manners and the Swifties almost always unearth the meaning behind them. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026 On the one hand, Julian Fellowes’ juicy melodrama enlists one of the finest ensembles imaginable to bring outsized intensity to a drama of manners. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026 Maybe the South doesn’t brag about its blazing fall colors (because that’s just bad manners), but Southern gardeners can enjoy autumn splendor every bit as lovely as the sugar maples in Vermont or the aspens in the Rockies. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2026 The desire to fit in is a powerful instinct, one that is externalized to varying degrees in our manners and relationships. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026 For players, the distinction between atmosphere and interference can be more than a matter of manners. — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026 An agent with read-only access is a search engine with better manners. — Antony P Gregory, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Even as the identity of the South evolves, and more young people lose certain traits that are identifiably southern, manners remain one of the region’s most distinctive and steadfast qualities. — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 Beneath Lamb’s unkempt appearance, crude manners, noxious flatulence, and stinging remarks lies one of the sharpest minds in MI5 and a man fiercely protective of his brood of misfits. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manners
  1. demeanor
  2. etiquette
  3. attitude
  4. proprieties
  5. posture
  6. form
Noun
  • The pandemic was a turning point in Selena’s life and demeanor.
    — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Were tactical arrangements sufficient without symbolic signaling, police training would not need to be so heady, their demeanor so heavy.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of demeanor
Noun
  • Now the older generation is scolding workers for having a different view on interview etiquette without recognizing the cold reality of today’s job market.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Interview etiquette remains increasingly contentious, as recruiters disagree on which rules to keep.
    — Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of etiquette
Noun
  • Precise attitude control keeps those instruments pointed at their targets as the satellites race around Earth.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Expand The never-say-die attitude of the White Sox was on full display against the Guardians.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of attitude
Noun
  • Faulkner said the Apartment Association will also help arrange community gatherings with first responders at participating proprieties.
    — Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
  • At this point, the proprieties of writing op eds call upon us to offer citations to this effect.
    — Oded J K Faran, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
Definition of proprieties
Noun
  • Since many of us spend eight hours a day—or more—sitting in front of a computer, the furniture should support your posture as much as your design sensibilities.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2026
  • While Canal Street’s vendors are prosecuted under a different law, the city’s posture on vending generally is moving toward less enforcement, not more.
    — Daniel Edward Rosen, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of posture
Noun
  • Annals are historical records arranged by year; the clue leverages the entry’s singular form to misdirect us.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Swatting is a form of cyber harassment that typically involves a caller alerting law enforcement to an active shooter situation or some other sort of immediate danger that does not actually exist.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of form

Browse Nearby Words

mannerly
manners
mannish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Manners.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manners. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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