manpower

American  

[man-pou-er] / ˈmænˌpaʊ ər /

noun

1. power in terms of people available or required for work or military service.

   the manpower of a country.

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manpower British  

/ ˈmænˌpaʊə /

noun

1. power supplied by men

2. a unit of power based on the rate at which a man can work; approximately 75 watts

3. the number of people available or required to perform a particular function

   the manpower of a battalion

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Usage

Gender-neutral form: personnel, staff

Etymology

Origin of manpower

First recorded in 1860–65; man + power

Example Sentences

Instead, four years on, Ukraine continues to hold its own against Russian troops across the east of the country, at an ever-increasing cost of manpower and resources for Moscow.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

"It is alarming that militants, with coordinated manpower and strategic acumen, have now reached the provincial capital," he added.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

While federal marshals are statutorily authorized to protect federal judges, they have the funding and manpower to combat only a fraction of the threats judges face.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Heavy industrial traffic tore up rural roads that were never built for that kind of weight, and the counties hit the hardest didn’t have the money or manpower to keep up with the damage.

From Salon • Dec. 28, 2025

Sabotage had the added virtue of requiring the least manpower.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela