SKIP TO CONTENT

manpower

/ˌmænˈpaʊər/
/ˈmænpaʊwə/
IPA guide

Manpower is the total number of people who can work to get something done. How quickly you clean your house after a big party will depend on how much manpower you've got.

The term manpower can mean "labor force," "workforce," "workers," or simply "people," and despite the man, it applies to both men and women. A large ship requires more manpower than a small sailboat, and the amount of manpower required to run Disneyland for a day is estimated to be at least 20,000 employees, most of whom aren't wearing cartoon character costumes.

Definitions of manpower
  1. noun
    the force of workers available
    synonyms: hands, men, work force, workforce
    see moresee less
    types:
    complement, full complement
    number needed to make up a whole force
    company, ship's company
    crew of a ship including the officers; the whole force or personnel of a ship
    type of:
    force, personnel
    group of people willing to obey orders
Pronunciation
US
/ˌmænˈpaʊər/
UK
/ˈmænpaʊwə/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘manpower'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family