manpower

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'manpower' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the strength and capability of the work done by people, such as, "The project was successful due to the extensive manpower available."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In its place, a far more limited EU force popped up, with one-third of the budget, fewer vessels and manpower, and crucially a mission statement that does not extend to search-and-rescue.

The Guardian

The knock-on effects are felt across the economy, from the jobs created and the cheaper costs of manpower to foreign direct investment that pours in from countries enticed by getting a foothold in the world's richest consumer market".

The Guardian

The spokesman said: "This agreement will not impact on the baseline defence budget, manpower numbers or current operations.

The Guardian

The Muslim Brotherhood's political arm, took five portfolios: information, housing, higher education, youth and manpower.

The Guardian

"There is a huge trained manpower that they will not know what to do with and this will unleash acts of terror and we are a good target," the officer said.

The Guardian

At the start of the conflict, Kiev's army was short on manpower, modern equipment and knowhow.

The Guardian

"Yeah, I've been called antisemitic and I got so much shit for speaking out against the Iraq invasion, but it was a huge waste of material resources and manpower".

The Guardian - Film

The conflict in the east created a still greater need for manpower even though time and resources for training were scarce.

The Guardian

There's more CCTV, less manpower," said one practitioner.

The Guardian

First, by having the gumption and the manpower to reveal wrongdoing.

The Economist

Saddam Hussein, Iraq's war-mongering president, regularly exhorts his citizens to breed to swell the nation's manpower.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about "manpower", consider the context. In modern usage, more inclusive terms like "workforce" or "human resources" might be preferable to avoid gender bias.

Common error

Avoid using "manpower" when referring to a workforce that includes people of all genders. Instead, use "workforce", "personnel", or "staff" for a more inclusive and accurate representation.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "manpower" is as a noun. It denotes the collective strength or availability of human labor, as seen in Ludwig's examples, such as "Kiev's army was short on manpower". Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Formal & Business

24%

Science

23%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the noun "manpower" refers to the total number of workers available. While grammatically sound and frequently used, as confirmed by Ludwig, modern writing often prefers more inclusive alternatives like "workforce" or "human resources". Ludwig's analysis reveals its prevalence in news and business contexts. When writing, consider your audience and choose the term that best reflects inclusivity and accuracy. As shown in Ludwig's examples, "manpower" is most often about resource allocation or strength, however using "workforce" is a more modern option.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

workforce

Refers to the total number of workers available, similar to "manpower" but more inclusive.

human resources

Emphasizes the management and development aspect of the workforce, rather than just the raw number of workers.

labor force

A more formal and economic term for the total number of people employed or seeking employment.

personnel

Focuses on the individuals working for an organization or project.

staff

Implies a group of employees working together.

human capital

Highlights the skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by the workforce.

employee base

Refers to the total number of employees an organization has.

available talent

Emphasizes the skills and abilities of the workforce.

working population

Broadly describes all individuals who are able to work.

number of employees

Directly quantifies the size of the workforce.

FAQs

How can I use "manpower" in a sentence?

You can use "manpower" to refer to the total number of workers available for a project or organization, such as, "The success of the construction project depended on the availability of sufficient manpower".

What are some alternatives to "manpower" that I can use?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "workforce", "personnel", "human resources", or "labor force".

Is it appropriate to use "manpower" in modern writing?

While grammatically correct, "manpower" can be seen as gendered. Using more inclusive terms like "workforce" or "human resources" is often preferable.

What's the difference between "manpower" and "human resources"?

"Manpower" refers primarily to the number of workers available, while "human resources" encompasses the management, training, and development of employees within an organization.