manually
Americanadverb
-
by hand or using one’s hands.
The power source must include a manually operated switch device or circuit breaker.
Even the entry-level model comes with dual-zone climate control, manually adjustable front seats, and Bluetooth connectivity.
-
using or requiring human effort, input, skill, power, etc..
Data extraction was originally done manually, requiring significant resources to complete the tedious task.
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of manually
Explanation
Something that's done manually is done by hand, rather than by machine. If the recycling you leave by the curb is sorted manually, people divide it by hand into metal, plastic, glass, and paper. When you dig a hole manually, you use a shovel and the strength of your own arms and back. The opposite of this is when something's done automatically, by machine or some automated system. The adverb manually comes from the adjective manual, or "done with the hands," from the Latin root word manus, which means "hand, strength, or power over."
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.
We then manually reviewed every case referred to the full court.
From Salon • Jul. 3, 2026
However, Tesla argues that the driver manually overrode the technology.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 29, 2026
Worn down, he muted the show, handed it over to another host and trudged up the stairs to his office to do the math manually.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 27, 2026
Tesla’s vice president of AI and software, Ashok Elluswamy, claimed the driver manually pressed the car’s accelerator pedal down, in a post shared to social-media platform X.
From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026
I unlock the door manually, storm up the walk, and climb the two steps to the porch.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
