The basic manifest meaning is to show something clearly, or to become clear and visible, as when a fever is how an infection first manifests. As an adjective, manifest means obvious, and as a noun it is a list of the cargo or passengers on a ship, plane or truck.
In recent years the word has also become popular in self-help talk, where to manifest something means to try to bring it into your life by picturing it and believing it will happen. This page sorts out every sense, along with the noun manifestation.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Show or reveal; obvious; a cargo or passenger listPart of speech
Verb, adjective and nounPronunciation
MAN-uh-fest; manifestation: man-uh-fes-TAY-shuhnWord forms
manifests, manifested, manifesting, manifestly, manifestationOrigin
Latin manifestus, "clear, evident"; in English since the late 1300sOpposite
hidden, concealed (adjective); hide, conceal (verb)Register
Formal in most senses; casual in the self-help sense
Every sense of the word
To define manifest fully, you need five senses, spread over three parts of speech:
- Verb, to show clearly: "She manifested great patience with the new trainees." This use is formal; in daily speech people usually say showed.
- Verb, to appear or become visible (often with itself or as): "The problem manifested itself in falling sales." "Stress can manifest as headaches." Doctors use this sense a lot.
- Adjective, obvious: "a manifest error", "her manifest delight". The adverb manifestly means clearly: "a manifestly unfair rule".
- Noun, a list for transport: a document listing goods, passengers or crew. Customs officials check a ship's manifest; airlines keep a passenger manifest.
- Verb, self-help sense: to focus your thoughts on a goal so that, believers say, it comes true: "I am manifesting a new job."
Manifestation meaning
In English, the manifestation meaning follows the verb's main senses. It means a sign or visible form of something, often something abstract: "The protest was a manifestation of public anger." In medicine, a manifestation is a symptom or sign: "Rashes are a common manifestation of the illness." In religion it can mean the appearance of a god or spirit in a form people can see.
In self-help use, manifestation is the practice of visualizing, writing down or repeating goals, often with affirmations, in the belief that this helps them come about. Supporters say it sharpens focus and motivation. Critics point out there is no scientific evidence that thoughts alone change outside events, and they warn it can lead people to blame themselves for bad luck. Both views are common, and the word is used either seriously or with a smile.
Where the manifest meaning comes from
Both adjective and verb date back to the late 1300s, taken partly from Old French and partly straight from the Latin manifestus, "plainly seen, caught in the act". The first part is usually linked to manus, "hand", as if something were caught red-handed, but the second part is uncertain and scholars do not agree on it. The shipping noun came in the early 1700s for a cargo list shown to customs, and the use for illnesses showing themselves dates from the early 1800s.
Example sentences
- The cracks in their friendship manifested during the group project.
- It was manifest from her smile that she had passed the exam.
- Check the flight manifest to confirm that every passenger has boarded.
- Anxiety in children can manifest as stomach aches before school.
- My cousin keeps a vision board because she believes in manifesting her goals.
Using it correctly
As a verb meaning "appear", manifest is often reflexive: manifest itself, manifest themselves. With as it tells you the form: "manifest as fatigue". In formal writing, "manifestly" is a strong word, so use it only when something really is beyond dispute.
Do not confuse manifest with manifesto. A manifesto is a public statement of aims by a group or person, often political. The words are related through Latin and Italian, but a manifest lists goods while a manifesto declares beliefs.
Manifest and tangible are also sometimes mixed up. Something tangible can be physically felt or counted; something manifest is simply plain to see.
In different settings
The manifest meaning in English shifts with the setting. Shipping and aviation staff use the noun every day. Doctors and nurses use the verb for symptoms. Lawyers and judges use the adjective in phrases such as manifest error. Wellness writers, coaches and social chat use the self-help verb. The setting is your best clue to the sense. For more flexible everyday words like this, see the everyday vocabulary collection and the entry for logistics.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of manifestation?
To define manifestation briefly: it is a visible sign or form of something, like a symptom of an illness or an act that shows a feeling. In self-help, it also names the practice of focusing on goals in the hope of making them happen.
What is the meaning of manifest in the self-help sense?
It means trying to attract something you want, such as a job or a home, by clearly imagining it and believing you will get it. Supporters see it as motivation; critics see little evidence that it works on its own.
What is a manifest on a ship or plane?
It is an official list of the cargo, passengers or crew. Customs and safety officials use it to check what and who is on board.
Is manifest a verb or an adjective?
Any good definition of manifest covers all three: verb, adjective and noun. As a verb it means show or appear, as an adjective it means obvious, and as a noun it is a transport list.
How do you use manifest in a sentence?
You might write, "His nerves manifested as a shaky voice during the speech." Or, for the adjective, "Her talent was manifest from the first rehearsal."
What is the difference between manifest and manifesto?
A manifest is a list or, as a verb, to show. A manifesto is a published declaration of a group's beliefs and plans.