Maneuver is a noun meaning a planned, skilled hand movement or series of movements, typically used to achieve a goal or navigate a tricky situation. It can refer to a military or strategic operation, a controlled physical action, or any deliberate sequence of steps designed to accomplish something. The term often implies precision, strategy, and adaptability in execution.
Tips: practice with slow, deliberate mouth movements; record to compare with native samples; do short, repeated drills until you feel the long /uː/ and final schwa positioning.
"The pilot executed a complex maneuver to avoid the storm."
"The sales team crafted a marketing maneuver to capture a larger audience."
"In the video game, you perform a high-difficulty maneuver to win the race."
"The doctor recommended a gentle maneuver to align the joint without causing pain."
Maneuver traces to the French manoeuvre, from Old French maneuvrer, meaning to conduct or manage, from manner + -er, with related forms in Latin-based languages. The spelling with -euv- reflects French spelling; the English form adopted the -eur suffix from French. Early uses in English (late 16th to early 17th centuries) often referred to military tactics or strategic movements. Over time, the sense broadened to include any planned, skilled action or series of actions in navigation, sports, medicine, and everyday tasks. The word’s pronunciation often causes variance in stress placement and vowel quality across dialects due to the French-derived suffix and the consonant cluster -nv- in the middle. First known uses appear in military manuals and strategic treatises, where maneuvering troops and artillery required precise, repeatable actions. Modern usage embraces both physical and metaphorical sequences of steps, and the term is common in aviation, sports, robotics, and strategic planning contexts. In contemporary usage, maneuver can also be used as a verb (to maneuver) though your prompt focuses on the noun form. The etymology reflects cross-channel borrowing that preserved a somewhat formal, technical aura, explaining its prominence in professional discourse and technical writing. The evolution from French to English kept a sense of deliberate control and strategic conduct, and today it remains a high-register word in many fields.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Maneuver" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Maneuver" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Maneuver"
-her sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈməˌnuːvər/ in US English and /ˈmæn.juː.və/ or /ˈmæn.jə.və/ in UK/Australian English. Put primary stress on the first syllable, with secondary or tertiary stress on the second or third depending on dialect. Start with a schwa or short 'a' in the first syllable, glide into a long 'nuː' for the second, and finish with a light, unstressed 'ver' sound. Imagine saying ‘muh-new-vuhr’ with careful, controlled vowels. Audio references: you can hear variations on Pronounce or Forvo samples labeled US, UK, AU.
Common errors include pronouncing it as 'MAN-eh-ver' with strong emphasis on the first syllable and a short 'u' sound in /nuː/; another is collapsing the middle /j/ sound or turning it into a simple 'man-oover' without the correct /nuː/ glide. Correct by maintaining /ˈməˌnuːvər/, ensuring the second syllable carries a long /uː/ and the /v/ is clear, with a light final /ər/ or /ə/ depending on dialect. Practice with minimal pairs and syllable-timed drills to stabilize the long vowel and the final schwa.
In US English, the primary stress is on the first syllable: /ˈməˌnuːvər/, with a rhotacized final /ɚ/. In UK English, you may hear /ˈmæn.juː.və/ with clearer diacritics and a non-rhotic ending, while some AU speakers prefer /ˈman.jəˌvuːvə/ with a closer fronted vowel in the first syllable and a longer final vowel. The middle /j/ is more syllabic in some accents as /ˈmæn.juː.vər/; rhoticity affects the /r/ allotment. Listen to native samples to choose your preferred pattern and maintain consistency across contexts.
The difficulty centers on two features: a front-short first vowel in some variants and a long high back vowel in the second syllable, plus a delicate /j/ glide between /nuː/ and /v/. The trailing /ər/ or /ə/ is often reduced, causing rhythm and rhythm stress to blur. Difficulty also comes from the French-derived suffix and the potential for vowel reduction in rapid speech. Focus on stable /ˈməˌnuːvər/ or /ˈmæn.juː.və/ with controlled voicing for the final syllable.
Yes. A common search query asks how to avoid turning it into 'mane-oo-ver' or 'man-oe-verb' by misplacing the /j/ sound and misplacing the second syllable vowel length. The recommended focus is keeping the /j/ as a soft linking sound between /nuː/ and /v/ and ensuring the /uː/ in the second syllable remains long, followed by a quiet final /ər/ or /ə/. Use careful, deliberate mouth positions and practice with native samples.
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