mannerism
noun
man·ner·ism
ˈma-nə-ˌri-zəm 
1
a
: exaggerated or affected (see affected entry 2 sense 1) adherence to a particular style or manner : artificiality, preciosity
refined almost to the point of mannerism—
Winthrop Sargeant
Winthrop Sargeant
b
often capitalized
: an art style in late 16th century Europe characterized by spatial incongruity and excessive elongation of the human figures
2
: a characteristic and often unconscious mode or peculiarity of action, bearing, or treatment
The actor can mimic the President's mannerisms perfectly.
Synonyms
Examples of mannerism in a Sentence
The actor can mimic the President's mannerisms perfectly.
quirky mannerisms such as toying with her hair and tapping her toes
Recent Examples on the Web
Oakley has gone viral several times for her odd mannerisms, racking up millions of views on Juliana's TikTok account, @juliana_burk.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Hammond, meanwhile, will still watch Thibodeau patrolling the sidelines 30 years later and see Bill Musselman in him: in the mannerisms, in the steely-eyed intensity.
—Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 17 Jan. 2025
What those participants wanted was basically a Star Trek universal translator or the Babel Fish from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: an AI that could not only translate speech to speech in real time across multiple languages, but also preserve their voice, tone, mannerisms, and emotions.
—Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2025
Learning about those impressions showed him the minimum mannerisms that might need to be included to serve the role, but also how to exclude reductive and obvious factors that would detract from presenting a real person.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for mannerism 
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Hammond, meanwhile, will still watch Thibodeau patrolling the sidelines 30 years later and see Bill Musselman in him: in the mannerisms, in the steely-eyed intensity.
—Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 17 Jan. 2025
What those participants wanted was basically a Star Trek universal translator or the Babel Fish from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: an AI that could not only translate speech to speech in real time across multiple languages, but also preserve their voice, tone, mannerisms, and emotions.
—Ars Technica, 15 Jan. 2025
Learning about those impressions showed him the minimum mannerisms that might need to be included to serve the role, but also how to exclude reductive and obvious factors that would detract from presenting a real person.
—Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for mannerism
Dictionary Entries Near mannerism
Cite this Entry
“Mannerism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mannerism. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mannerism
noun
man·ner·ism
ˈman-ə-ˌriz-əm
: a characteristic and often unconscious way of acting
the mannerism of constantly adjusting her glasses
Medical Definition
mannerism
noun
man·ner·ism
ˈman-ə-ˌriz-əm
: a characteristic and often unconscious mode or peculiarity of action, bearing, or treatment
especially
: any pointless and compulsive activity performed repeatedly
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