manifest

[ man-uh-fest ]

verb (used with object)

1. to make clear or evident; show plainly:

   He manifested his approval with a hearty laugh.

   Synonyms: express, declare, demonstrate, evidence, evince, disclose, reveal

   Antonyms: conceal

2. to prove; put beyond doubt or question:

   The evidence manifests the guilt of the defendant.

3. to attempt to attain (something desired) by thinking or focusing intensely on it, especially as a spiritual or self-help practice: law of attraction ( def ).

   I'm manifesting a new job this year.

   We cut out toxic people and manifested new friends more on our wavelength.

4. to record in the manifest of a ship, airplane, train, etc.

verb (used without object)

1. to appear or become apparent:

   The change we've been agitating for is finally manifesting in public policy.

   Damage to the house's foundation can manifest slowly over time.

2. to be created; take form:

   The course allows designers to visualize how their designs could manifest.

   His book claims we are beings of light that have manifested in physical bodies.

3. Medicine/Medical.
   1. (of a disease or injury) to become evident through the appearance of particular symptoms:

      This type of infection typically manifests with rashes, swelling, and pain.

   2. (of a patient) to have a certain symptom or medical condition:

      People who experience work-related stress often manifest with chronic digestive disorders.

4. to attempt to attain something desired by thinking about or focusing intensely on it, especially as a spiritual or self-help practice:

   The guru was trying to teach us how to manifest by using meditation and deep concentration.

adjective

1. readily perceived; evident; obvious; apparent; plain:

   The data you've shown us contains a manifest error.

   Synonyms: conspicuous, visible, palpable, open, patent, unmistakable, distinct, clear

   Antonyms: obscure

2. Psychoanalysis. of or relating to conscious feelings, ideas, and impulses that contain repressed psychic material:

   the manifest content of a dream as opposed to the latent content that it conceals.

noun

1. a list of the cargo or goods carried by a ship, airplane, train, etc., made for the use of various agents and officials at the points of destination.
2. a list of the passengers carried on a ship, airplane, train, etc.

manifest

/ ˈmænɪˌfɛst /

adjective

1. easily noticed or perceived; obvious; plain
2. psychoanal of or relating to the ostensible elements of a dream Compare latent

   manifest content

verb

1. tr to show plainly; reveal or display

   to manifest great emotion

2. tr to prove beyond doubt
3. intr (of a disembodied spirit) to appear in visible form
4. tr to list in a ship's manifest

noun

1. a customs document containing particulars of a ship, its cargo, and its destination
2. 1. a list of cargo, passengers, etc, on an aeroplane
   2. a list of railway trucks or their cargo
   3. a fast freight train carrying perishables

Derived Forms

• ˈmaniˌfestness, noun
• ˈmaniˌfestly, adverb
• ˈmaniˌfestable, adjective

Other Words From

• man·i·fest·a·ble adjective
• man·i·fest·er noun
• man·i·fest·ly adverb
• man·i·fest·ness noun
• non·man·i·fest adjective
• non·man·i·fest·ness noun
• pre·man·i·fest verb
• re·man·i·fest verb (used with object)
• self-man·i·fest adjective
• su·per·man·i·fest verb (used with object)
• un·man·i·fest adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of manifest¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; (adjective) Middle English manifest(e), from Latin manifestus, manufestus “detected in the act, evident, visible”; (verb) Middle English manifesten, from Middle French manifester, from Latin manifestāre, derivative of manifestus. See manus

Word History and Origins

Origin of manifest¹

C14: from Latin manifestus plain, literally: struck with the hand, from manū with the hand + -festus struck

Synonym Study

See display.

Example Sentences

To counsel magnanimity from the left is to smarmily suggest that Democrats ought to just ignore Trump’s manifest unfitness for office, the ethical bankruptcy of his campaign, and the dark promises he has vowed to keep upon retaking the presidency.

From Slate

No matter how much proof the media musters about Donald Trump’s lies, crimes, and derelictions, no matter how eloquent the cases pundits make about his manifest unfitness for office, no matter how hard journalists try to document their processes and present their work in compelling ways, half the country continues to demean and disregard their efforts while choosing instead to trust real-estate hucksters, YouTube supplement salesmen, disheveled podcast conspiracists, and countless other unreliable sources that barely even bother to appear credible.

From Slate

She and Grossman predicted that the impact will also manifest as it has with the rollback in abortion rights but "on steroids."

From Salon

"You're pretending to be something that you're not and that imposter syndrome turns into self-esteem issues and it can manifest itself as anxiety and depression."

From BBC

Trump’s entire campaign to regain the presidency can be seen as an outlandish gamble on evading accountability for a series of grave and manifest crimes.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• demonstrate
• embody
• illustrate
• prove
• reveal
• signify