English Reference
noun

manifestation

n.
US /ˌmænəfɛˈsteɪʃən/ UK /mˌænɪfɪstˈeɪʃən/ man·i·fes·ta·tion UK spelling manifestation's, manifestation's

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Formal

    a sign that shows something clearly, or the way that an abstract idea appears in real life.

    the act or process of becoming manifest; a clear appearance or display of an abstract quality or idea.

    Simple

    The sudden protest was a clear manifestation of the people's anger toward the new law.

    In context

    The architect viewed the completed skyscraper as the ultimate manifestation of his lifelong theories on urban density and light.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    a sign or symptom that shows you have a specific disease.

    the observable symptoms or clinical conditions resulting from a specific disease or disorder.

    Simple

    A skin rash is often the first manifestation of this particular allergy.

    In context

    Clinicians must remain vigilant, as the neurological manifestations of the virus may not appear until weeks after the initial infection.

    Usage

    Often followed by the preposition 'of'.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate InformalSlang

    the practice of using positive thinking and focus to try to make your goals come true.

    the practice of bringing something into one's life through focused intent, belief, and visualization.

    Simple

    She believes that her new job is a result of daily manifestation and hard work.

    In context

    The influencer's latest book focuses on the intersection of manifestation techniques and traditional goal-setting strategies.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense has become very popular on social media recently; it is much less formal than the medical or general senses.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency TechnicalBritish English

    patterns or stickers on glass doors so that people do not walk into them by accident.

    decorative or functional markings applied to large sheets of glass to ensure they are visible to pedestrians.

    Simple

    The office manager ordered frosted manifestation for the new glass partitions to prevent accidents.

    In context

    Building regulations require manifestation on full-height glass entrance doors to mitigate the risk of accidental collisions.

Usage manifestation include

A subset of patients suffers from a severe manifestation of the condition, languishing with chronic pain, cognitive dysfunction and debilitating fatigue.

Smithsonian Magazine· 31 Aug 2026

Their principal manifestation thus far was the government’s now-jettisoned ‘30 by 30’ Plan, issued in 2019, the goal of which was to produce 30 per cent of the food Singapore’s population consumes, by 2030.

Aeon· 31 Aug 2026

From Middle English manifestacion, manyfestacion, manyfestacioun, from Late Latin manifestātiō. In the political sense, a semantic loan from French manifestation. By surface analysis, manifest + -ation.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin la-lat manifestātiō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated