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manmade

C2

Pronunciation

UK

  • /mˈænmeɪd/

US

  • /ˈmænˈmeɪd/

Description

"Manmade" describes something that is created by people or caused by human activity rather than happening naturally. Think of it as the opposite of "natural." A mountain forms through natural forces, but a skyscraper is manmade. The word is often used to compare things made by people with things found in nature. For example, people talk about "manmade lakes" created by dams, "manmade materials" such as plastic, or "manmade disasters" like oil spills. In each case, the idea is that people played the main role in bringing it about.

Examples

  1. 1

    Water supply

    The town gets most of its water from a manmade lake.

    • Grammar

      manmade can also be written man-made

  2. 2

    Clothing

    The jacket is filled with a manmade fiber that dries quickly.

  3. 3

    Natural contrast

    The trail passes through natural caves and manmade tunnels.

  4. 4

    Disaster cause

    The oil spill was a manmade disaster, not an accident caused by weather.

  5. 5

    Artificial island

    The island may look natural from a distance, but it is completely manmade.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • manmade