maneuver

maneuver — noun

1. the standard American English spelling of the British English word 'manoeuvre'

1.nounA2
Definition

the standard American English spelling of the British English word 'manoeuvre'

Example

In American English, you spell 'maneuver' without the 'o' after the 'n'.

spelling variant: US vs British

British writers use 'manoeuvre', but Americans prefer the shorter spelling 'maneuver'.

Usage Note

This entry uses the US spelling 'maneuver'. The British variant 'manoeuvre' has the same pronunciation and all the same meanings.

2. a planned movement of soldiers, vehicles, ships, or aircraft carried out as a tr

2.nounB2
Definition

a planned movement of soldiers, vehicles, ships, or aircraft carried out as a training exercise or as part of a battle

Example

The army held large-scale maneuvers near the border to test troop readiness.

collocation: large-scale maneuvers

Naval maneuvers involving two aircraft carriers were postponed because of the storm.

Common collocations
  • military maneuvers
  • naval maneuvers
  • field maneuvers
  • training maneuvers
  • diversionary maneuver
Synonyms
  • drill

    focuses on repetitive practice of a specific skill rather than a full-scale coordinated movement

  • operation

    a broader term that can include non-training real-world missions

  • exercise

    a general term for any training activity; less specific to coordinated battle movements

Usage Note

Often used in the plural (maneuvers) to refer to large-scale training exercises. Frequently paired with 'military', 'naval', or 'field' as modifiers.

Common Mistakes

The soldiers conducted a maneuver exercise.
The soldiers conducted maneuvers.
'maneuver' already implies an exercise; 'maneuver exercise' is redundant.

3. a controlled physical movement that requires care, skill, and good judgment, esp

3.nounB2
Definition

a controlled physical movement that requires care, skill, and good judgment, especially to avoid obstacles or reach a target position

Example

The driver made a sharp maneuver to avoid a dog that ran onto the road.

collocation: sharp maneuver

Parking in this narrow space requires a complex maneuver with at least three turns.

Common collocations
  • sharp maneuver
  • quick maneuver
  • complex maneuver
  • smooth maneuver
  • parking maneuver
Synonyms
  • move

    a neutral, everyday word; lacks the implication of skill or planning

  • motion

    more abstract and technical; less common in everyday speech about physical actions

Usage Note

Commonly describes driving, parking, or physical actions where precision is needed. Often modified by adjectives such as 'sharp', 'quick', 'smooth', 'dangerous', or 'complex'.

Common Mistakes

The car made a maneuver.
The driver made a maneuver.
The person performing the movement is the subject, not the vehicle.

4. a step someone plans carefully in order to get an advantage over other people, o

4.nounB2
Definition

a step someone plans carefully in order to get an advantage over other people, often by outsmarting them

Example

The company's latest marketing maneuver helped it pull ahead of its main competitor.

collocation: marketing maneuver

The senator resigned before the vote, a clever maneuver that caught rivals off guard.

Common collocations
  • political maneuver
  • tactical maneuver
  • clever maneuver
  • strategic maneuver
  • marketing maneuver
Synonyms
  • tactic

    more neutral and systematic; can be part of a larger strategy

  • ploy

    suggests a trick or deception more strongly than maneuver does

  • stratagem

    more formal and literary; strongly implies clever deception

  • gambit

    often used in chess and metaphorically; implies a risky move that sacrifices something for long-term gain

Usage Note

Often carries a slightly negative or neutral connotation — it implies self-interest or cunning rather than honesty. In business and politics, 'political maneuver' and 'tactical maneuver' are common collocations.

Common Mistakes

She made a maneuver to help her friend.
She made a maneuver to beat her rival.
'maneuver' implies gaining advantage; use a different word if the goal is purely helpful.
Idioms

freedom of/room for maneuver

idiom

The ability to change plans or actions in order to achieve a goal.

The new contract gives the manager more room for maneuver.

With limited funds, the school has little freedom of maneuver.

maneuver — verb

Word family

  • maneuvers
    noun pluralB2
  • maneuverable
    adjectiveC1
  • maneuverability
    nounC1
  • maneuvering
    nounC1
  • maneuvered
    verb past tenseB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/4

While all four words describe calculated actions to gain advantage, they differ in connotation and context. A tactic is the most neutral term, referring to any method used to achieve a goal within a larger strategy — for example, 'lowering prices was a common retail tactic.' A ploy carries a stronger sense of trickery or deception, often implying a short-term ruse: 'his offer to help was just a ploy to get inside information.' Stratagem is more formal and literary, suggesting elaborate, carefully plotted deception like a military trap. Gambit, borrowed from chess, involves an initial sacrifice for long-term gain: 'the company's free-shipping offer was a gambit to capture market share.' Among these, maneuver (as in noun/4) sits closest to tactic but adds the flavor of adroit, sometimes tricky management rather than cold systematic planning.

tactic ↗ploystratagemgambit

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • room for maneuver
  • freedom of maneuver

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Maneuver entered English in the 15th century from Middle French manœuvre, which originally meant 'manual labor' or 'handiwork.' The French word came from Old French manovre, traceable to the Latin phrase manu operari — literally 'to work by hand' (manus 'hand' + operari 'to work'). The meaning shifted from physical hand-labor to the skilled handling of tools, then to military troop movements (because directing soldiers was seen as a kind of skilled handiwork). By the 18th century, the word had broadened to include any clever or strategic action in non-military contexts. The British spelling manoeuvre preserves the French -oeuvre ending, while the US spelling maneuver reflects a simplified pronunciation-based form.