Manhattan
Americannoun
-
Also called Manhattan Island. an island in New York City surrounded by the Hudson, East, and Harlem rivers. 13½ miles (22 km) long; 2½ miles (4 km) greatest width; 22¼ sq. mi. (58 sq. km).
-
a borough of New York City approximately coextensive with Manhattan Island: chief business district of the city.
-
a city in NE Kansas, on the Kansas River.
-
(often lowercase) a cocktail made of whiskey and sweet vermouth, usually with a dash of bitters and a maraschino cherry.
noun
-
an island at the N end of New York Bay, between the Hudson, East, and Harlem Rivers: administratively (with adjacent islets) a borough of New York City; a major financial, commercial, and cultural centre. Pop: 1 537 195 (2000). Area: 47 sq km (22 sq miles)
-
a mixed drink consisting of four parts whisky, one part vermouth, and a dash of bitters
Discover More
Because of its noise and congestion, some have viewed it as unlivable, giving rise to the phrase “It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.” In the 1990s, it experienced prosperity and a decline in crime rates.
A center of the art world (see Greenwich Village).
Center of the country's financial industry (see Wall Street), communications industry, including advertising and television (see Madison Avenue), and fashion industry (see Fifth Avenue).
The September 11 attacks left a physical and emotional scar on Manhattan.
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.
Then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg made him director of the Manhattan office of the New York Department of City Planning.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
The ruling follows last month’s settlement between Lively and Baldoni, which came just before what had been expected to be a closely watched federal trial in Manhattan.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026
The commute to his Manhattan porter job is convenient, too.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
US media reported that Lander was found not guilty following a one-day trial in Manhattan as the judge found no evidence of deliberate obstruction.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
His classmates were crowded in front of posters depicting what Manhattan looked like a hundred years ago.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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.
