What does "manual" mean?
Synonym of handbook.
Manual
/ˈmæn.j(u)əl/ adj, name, noun, slang
adj, name, noun, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Synonym of handbook.
- Grammar: manual is listed as adj, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abecedarium, abecedary, afrikaans gids, almanac.
- Useful contrasts: automatic, adaptive, administrative practice.
- Usage evidence: Mechanical power took the place of manual labor.
How to use "manual"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "manual" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "manual" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "manual" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "manual" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "manual" is acting as adj, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abecedarium" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "manual", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Synonym of handbook.
- 2 A device that is operated using the hands, or by a human rather than a machine.; A manual transmission; a gearbox, especially of a motorized vehicle, shifted by the operator. countable, uncountable
"Tom's transmission shop can fix both manuals and automatics."
- 3 (military) a prescribed drill in handling a rifle wordnet
- 4 A booklet that instructs on the usage of a particular machine or product.
"The dishwasher isn't working; can you remember where we put the manual?"
- 5 A device that is operated using the hands, or by a human rather than a machine.; A vehicle with a manual transmission. countable, metonymically, uncountable
"I'm not used to automatics; I've always driven manuals."
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 a small handbook wordnet
- 7 A drill in the use of weapons, etc.
- 8 A device that is operated using the hands, or by a human rather than a machine.; A keyboard for the hands on a harpsichord, organ, or other musical instrument. countable, uncountable
- 9 An old office-book like the modern Roman Catholic ritual. historical
- 10 A device that is operated using the hands, or by a human rather than a machine.; A manual typewriter (as contrasted with an electronic one). countable, uncountable
- 11 A keyboard on an organ.
- 12 A procedure or operation that is done using the hands, or by a human rather than machine.; Manual measurement of the blood pressure, done with a manual sphygmomanometer. colloquial, countable, uncountable
"do a manual"
- 13 A procedure or operation that is done using the hands, or by a human rather than machine.; A bicycle technique whereby the front wheel is held aloft by the rider, without the use of pedal force. countable, uncountable
- 14 A procedure or operation that is done using the hands, or by a human rather than machine.; A similar maneuver on a skateboard, lifting the front or back wheels while keeping the tail or nose of the board from touching the ground. countable, uncountable
"In short tutorials, the player learns the basics of skating: reverts, manuals and the ollie – that is, sliding round when coming out of a trick, lifting two wheels off the ground and jumping with the board."
- 15 Manual control or operation. uncountable
"Put the controls to manual."
Adjective
- 1 Performed with the hands.
"She gave a wild manual brush to her locks."
- 2 Operated by means of the hands.
- 3 Performed by a human rather than a machine.
"The teacher urged the students to do a manual check, because some errors aren't picked up by the spell checker."
Adjective
- 1 requiring human effort wordnet
- 2 doing or requiring physical work wordnet
- 3 of or relating to the hands wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A male given name from Spanish: a rare spelling variant of Manuel, sometimes considered erroneous.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Mechanical power took the place of manual labor."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "manual"?
Common synonyms include: abecedarium, abecedary, afrikaans gids, almanac, alphabet book, baedeker.
How do you use "manual" in a sentence?
Mechanical power took the place of manual labor.
How do you pronounce "manual"?
Pronounced /ˈmæn.j(u)əl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English manuel, from Old French manuel, from Late Latin manuāle (“handbook, manual”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English manuel, from Anglo-Norman manuel, Old French manual, from Latin manuālis, from manus (“hand”).