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.
Wait: There are millions of people on the lower Manhattan streets, confetti fluttering in the air, a team being feted on stage at City Hall…and it isn’t the Yankees?
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
“Anyone else think e-bikes are out of control?” he asked the audience, a setup for his policy on speed limits to reduce e-bike deaths and not the beginning of his tight five on Manhattan traffic.
From Slate • Jun. 18, 2026
His lead-in was David Letterman, who not only doesn’t live in the district but doesn’t live in Manhattan at all.
From Slate • Jun. 18, 2026
He has pleaded not guilty in both the federal and state cases against him for the shooting death of Thompson in midtown Manhattan at the end of 2024.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
Leah moved to one apartment in Manhattan, Kate and Mother to another.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
