manifesto

American  

[man-uh-fes-toh] / ˌmæn əˈfɛs toʊ /

noun

plural

manifestoes

1. a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives, as one issued by a government, sovereign, or organization.

2. 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.

---

manifesto British  

/ ˌmænɪˈfɛstəʊ /

noun

1. a public declaration of intent, policy, aims, etc, as issued by a political party, government, or movement

---

Other Word Forms

• countermanifesto
  noun

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.

Example Sentences

It is interesting to look back at the SNP manifesto from 2003.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Wales' Green Party manifesto said "climate change is the defining challenge of our time" and "Wales must act urgently to cut emissions, reduce energy demand and accelerate the transition to renewable energy".

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

“I Shot Andy Warhol” characterizes Solanas in a way that neither the press nor her manifesto could.

From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026

Federal investigators are reviewing what officials describe as a manifesto or grievance-driven collection of writings sent by the suspect to family members shortly before the attack.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

“One of the lines I remember from the Dauntless manifesto is, ‘We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.’”

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

Related Words

• platform
• proclamation