mannerly

adjective

man·​ner·​ly ˈma-nər-lē How to pronounce mannerly (audio)
: showing good manners
mannerliness noun
mannerly adverb

Examples of mannerly in a Sentence

When he was a child, he was quiet and mannerly. a mannerly child is welcome everywhere
Recent Examples on the Web Remember that not all breeds are suited to all lifestyles, and some German dog breeds require a firm hand to encourage mannerly behavior. 1 Schnauzer Known for its spirited intelligence, this breed has long had a job to do on family farms as ratters, herders, guardians, and hunters. Arricca Elin Sansone, Woman's Day, 23 Mar. 2023 Any suggestions for a mannerly approach? Miss Manners | Judith Martin, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Mar. 2023 After a few minutes of gorging itself on red and green cupcake frosting, the bear eventually went on its merry way, this time making a mannerly exit through an open door to the backyard. Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 26 June 2014 The last few years weren’t exactly a mannerly period of polite disagreement in our national life. Rich Lowry, National Review, 2 Nov. 2021 At the previous debate, Mr. Biden quickly abandoned mannerly efforts to draw contrasts with her, and other high-polling rivals had until Tuesday largely refrained from issuing piercing criticism onstage. Matt Flegenheimer, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2019 Waiting for a reasonable amount of time before politely excusing yourself and walking away is, in fact, the adult and mannerly thing to do. Judith Martin, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mannerly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mannerly was circa 1529

Dictionary Entries Near mannerly

Cite this Entry

“Mannerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mannerly. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mannerly

adjective
man·​ner·​ly ˈman-ər-lē How to pronounce mannerly (audio)
: showing good manners : polite
mannerliness noun
mannerly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on mannerly

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