manually

American  

[man-yoo-uh-lee, -yuh-lee] / ˈmæn yu ə li, -yə li /

adverb

1. by hand or using one’s hands.

   The power source must include a manually operated switch device or circuit breaker.

   Even the entry-level model comes with dual-zone climate control, manually adjustable front seats, and Bluetooth connectivity.

2. using or requiring human effort, input, skill, power, etc..

   Data extraction was originally done manually, requiring significant resources to complete the tedious task.

   If you prefer that your information not be collected for the purpose of delivering targeted advertising, you have to manually opt out by clicking here.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonmanually adverb
• semimanually adverb

Etymology

Origin of manually

manual ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

Something that's done manually is done by hand, rather than by machine. If the recycling you leave by the curb is sorted manually, people divide it by hand into metal, plastic, glass, and paper. When you dig a hole manually, you use a shovel and the strength of your own arms and back. The opposite of this is when something's done automatically, by machine or some automated system. The adverb manually comes from the adjective manual, or "done with the hands," from the Latin root word manus, which means "hand, strength, or power over."

Example Sentences

Saavedra and his son would drive a van up and down Los Angeles, manually packing and unloading the product to local corner stores.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Of course the crew has the ability to manually command the chutes ... if for some reason we have low confidence in the flight software.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

In addition, the current devices were built manually at very small scales in a laboratory setting, so manufacturing at scale will take time.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

Sharma expected the count to take an hour using bar code scanners, but they malfunctioned in the cold, forcing his team to pull an all-nighter and count manually.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Unless you knew how to manually drive around the Internet to find things, it was not all that exciting.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman