manifesto
Americannoun
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a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives, as one issued by a government, sovereign, or organization.
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a mission statement or other document written and disseminated by an individual or group to enumerate or expound the guiding principles and beliefs that inform their actions.
The mail bomber submitted his 35,000-word manifesto to two major national news publications.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of manifesto
First recorded in 1640–50; from Italian; see manifest (adjective)
Explanation
A manifesto is a public statement stating your views or your intention to do something. If you feel you should be voted "Most Likely to Succeed," you could issue a manifesto describing all the reasons why you deserve to win. Manifesto comes from the Italian word of the same spelling, meaning "public declaration explaining past actions and announcing the motive for forthcoming ones." You'll most often hear about a manifesto that's been issued by a group, like a political party or government — for example, a set of new rules that an incoming regime is going to enforce. Though organizations are more likely to create a manifesto, it's also possible for an individual to issue one about more personal ideas.
Vocabulary lists containing manifesto
This Week In Words: February 1–7, 2020
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Divergent
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Nelson Mandela "I am Prepared to Die" (1964)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s true that the manifesto covers many different races and religions.
From Slate • May 26, 2026
Experts say "Magnifica Humanitas" could prove as influential as Pope Francis's "Laudato Si", a 2015 climate manifesto that triggered political and civic reactions worldwide.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
Luis’s name will be familiar to some readers from the manifesto he co-authored last year for European competitiveness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Another source claimed the UK Labour government had "delivered on all of its general election manifesto commitments to strengthen the devolution settlement - and more, since 2024."
From BBC • May 20, 2026
The manifesto utterly rejected the notion of trusteeship, the idea that the white government somehow had African interests at heart.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
