city manager

American

noun

a person not publicly elected but appointed by a city council to manage a city.

city manager British

noun

(in the US) an administrator hired by a municipal council to manage its affairs See also council-manager plan

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of city manager

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

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.

See Examples For:

city manager

Jack Savo Jr., the city manager, said the recent breakthrough in talks between the U.S. and Iran, and the prospect of Hormuz reopening, provides little comfort.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Meanwhile, Futrell, Freeman’s husband, had recently announced he was leaving to become city manager of Pasadena but soon walked back the statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

Lazzaretto, the city manager, said in his statement that the city has conducted an internal review related to the charges and found no wrongdoing.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026

In Social Circle, Georgia, the city manager shut off water to a warehouse ICE had purchased amid concerns about strains on local resources.

From Slate ● Apr. 27, 2026

According to the city manager, police operations were "crippled” and "paralyzed.”

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023