Manhattan

American  

[man-hat-n, muhn-] / mænˈhæt n, mən- /

noun

1. 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).

2. a borough of New York City approximately coextensive with Manhattan Island: chief business district of the city.

3. a city in NE Kansas, on the Kansas River.

4. (often lowercase) a cocktail made of whiskey and sweet vermouth, usually with a dash of bitters and a maraschino cherry.

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Manhattan British  

/ mænˈhætən, mən- /

noun

1. 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)

2. a mixed drink consisting of four parts whisky, one part vermouth, and a dash of bitters

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Manhattan Cultural  

1. Island that constitutes one of the five boroughs that make up New York City. (See also Bowery, Broadway (see also Broadway), Central Park, Harlem, Park Avenue, Times Square, and World Trade Center.)

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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

See Examples For:

Manhattan

Kelly served in the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office for nine years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

Riders can now travel to Torrance, El Segundo, and Manhattan Beach in a Waymo driverless taxi, but they still won’t be able to call a ride to or from Los Angeles International Airport.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

At the time, the real estate mogul was working as a messenger to make ends meet, and was making a delivery to the owner of an opulent Manhattan home.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

"I'm trying to spend at least $20 to $30 just to make sure that I get the kids something," he said, while browsing the rows of colour options at a Target in Manhattan.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Nevertheless, the boy enjoyed getting back to the familiarity of the unregimented school and to the opportunity to play with his friends at the Manhattan Chess Club.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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