style
style — noun
1. a particular way of behaving, working, or creating that reveals the habits, choi
a particular way of behaving, working, or creating that reveals the habits, choices, or methods of a person, community, or historical time.
Noa's management style helps everyone feel comfortable sharing their ideas.
collocation: management style / leadership style / teaching style
The architect designed the house in a traditional Japanese style.
prepositional phrase: in a [ADJ] style
Each chef brought their own cooking style to the televised competition final.
The software team adopted a collaborative style that boosted their productivity.
pattern: style of + noun
Salma's teaching style mixes short lectures with hands-on activities.
- management style
- leadership style
- teaching style
- cooking style
- artistic style
- writing style
- style of painting
- style of dress
Usage Note
Often paired with a preceding noun or adjective that identifies the area or field (management style, artistic style, leadership style). Can also take an of-phrase: a style of painting, a style of leadership.
Common Mistakes
2. the popular way of dressing, decorating, or grooming that is accepted and follow
the popular way of dressing, decorating, or grooming that is accepted and followed by a large number of people at a particular time.
Short haircuts for men came back into style this year among young professionals.
idiom: in style / out of style / come into style
The latest Parisian fashion styles arrived in stores just before Christmas.
Trang follows the latest fashion styles but always adds her own personal touch.
Bell-bottom jeans went out of style in the late nineteen-seventies.
idiom: go out of style
Bright colours are in style this spring for both clothing and home decor.
- in style
- out of style
- come into style
- go out of style
- latest styles
- fashion styles
Common Mistakes
3. the kind of activity or behaviour that matches a person's character or taste — u
the kind of activity or behaviour that matches a person's character or taste — used especially in the phrase 'not someone's style' to say that something does not suit them.
Dancing in front of a crowd is not really Jenna's style.
fixed phrase: not [someone's] style
A quiet evening at home is more Matthew's style than a loud party.
comparative: more [someone's] style
Takeshi prefers direct answers — small talk is just not his style.
The job requires aggressive sales tactics, which is not Lakshmi's style at all.
- not my style
- not his style
- more my style
- thing
more informal; 'it's not my thing' has the same meaning
- cup of tea
idiomatic; 'not my cup of tea' is slightly softer than 'not my style'
Grammar Patterns
be [not] someone's style
Usage Note
Nearly always appears in the possessive pattern (someone's style) with a negative or comparative. 'Not my style' is the most common form. This sense cannot take an article (*a style, *the style).
Common Mistakes
4. a specific shape, cut, or form applied to something like clothing, a hairstyle,
a specific shape, cut, or form applied to something like clothing, a hairstyle, or a furnishing item, chosen primarily for how it looks.
The sofa is available in three different styles to match any room.
pattern: available in [number] styles
Lara asked the hairdresser for a short style that is easy to manage every morning.
The store sells coffee tables in both modern and farmhouse styles.
Xiu chose a simple floor-length style for her wedding dress.
compound noun: floor-length style
Darius prefers a classic suit style with two buttons and wide lapels.
- different styles
- modern style
- classic style
- choose a style
- in a range of styles
Common Mistakes
5. an attractive, graceful, or impressive quality in the way a person looks, behave
an attractive, graceful, or impressive quality in the way a person looks, behaves, or presents things, showing a high standard of taste and care.
The hotel lobby was decorated with style and attention to detail.
uncountable: with style
Yael handled the difficult conversation with style, staying calm throughout.
The chef presents each dish with style, using colourful sauces and herbs.
Ari writes with a natural style that makes complex ideas feel simple and clear.
The old mansion has a style that modern houses often lack.
- with style
- have style
- lack style
- great style
Usage Note
In this sense, style is uncountable and never takes an article when used to mean elegance (e.g. 'She has style,' not '*She has a style'). When used with an article ('a style of writing'), the meaning shifts to sense 1 (WAY OF DOING).
Common Mistakes
6. the thin, tube-shaped part of a flower's female organ that carries pollen from t
the thin, tube-shaped part of a flower's female organ that carries pollen from the sticky top (the stigma) down to the ovary where seeds develop.
The style of this wild orchid species measures nearly four inches long.
anatomic: style of [flower/species]
Pollen must travel down the style to reach the flower's ovary.
The bee brushed against the stigma at the top of the style.
Botanists measure the length and shape of the style to identify plant species.
scientific register: measure the style
- stigma and style
- length of the style
- style of the flower
Usage Note
Technical botany term. Only used in scientific or gardening contexts. The three parts of a flower's female reproductive structure are: stigma, style, and ovary.
7. a set of formatting rules — covering such matters as how to handle spelling, whe
a set of formatting rules — covering such matters as how to handle spelling, where to place punctuation, and when to capitalize — that a particular publication or institution applies to its written work.
The professor asked all students to follow APA style for their research papers.
proper noun: [Name] style (APA, Chicago, MLA)
The newspaper's style guide requires numbers under ten to be spelled out.
compound: style guide
Shanti checked her essay for consistency in punctuation and heading style.
The editor updated the style manual to include rules for digital publishing.
Brian formatted his bibliography according to Chicago style for the history journal.
- style guide
- style manual
- house style
- APA style
- Chicago style
- in-house style
- convention
broader; includes unwritten customs beyond formatting
- format
focuses on layout and structure rather than spelling rules
to prevent someone from behaving freely or naturally in the way they would like, usually by being too strict, close, or controlling.
Having her parents at the party really cramped Élise's style.
The strict dress code at the office cramped everyone's style during summer.
in style
idiomcurrently fashionable or popular.
Wide-leg trousers are in style again after many years.
Vinyl records have come back in style with younger listeners.
out of style
idiomno longer fashionable or popular.
Carpeted bathrooms have gone out of style in modern homes.
That hairstyle went out of style more than a decade ago.
To prevent someone from acting freely or as they wish.
Maya felt her parents cramped her style when they set a curfew.
Does having a strict boss cramp your style at work?
In a very impressive or luxurious manner.
Diego celebrated his promotion in grand style at a fancy restaurant.
The team won the final in style, scoring five goals.
style — verb
1. to shape, cut, or arrange something — especially hair, clothing, furniture, or a
to shape, cut, or arrange something — especially hair, clothing, furniture, or a room — so that it has a particular look or appearance.
The hairdresser styled Sade's hair in loose curls for the ceremony.
transitive: style + possessive + hair
Maja styled her apartment with secondhand furniture and bright colours.
The new uniforms were styled by a famous Italian designer.
passive: styled by [designer]
He styled his bookshelves by mixing books with plants and framed photos.
Lien styled her hair with a simple clip instead of using heat tools.
- style hair
- style a room
- style a look
- styled by
- styled with
Grammar Patterns
style + object
style + object + preposition + noun phrase
Usage Note
Commonly used with hair as object, but also works with spaces (style a room), objects (style a bookshelf), and outfits (style a look). The past participle 'styled' is frequent in descriptions: 'a neatly styled beard,' 'a stylishly dressed room.'
Common Mistakes
2. to assign a particular name, title, or description to someone or some group — of
to assign a particular name, title, or description to someone or some group — often a formal or self-claimed designation.
The king was styled 'Defender of the Faith' in official documents.
passive: styled + title in quotes
The group styled themselves the 'Citizens for a Cleaner City'.
reflexive: styled themselves [title]
Esteban styled himself a wine expert after taking a short course in France.
The company styles its support team as 'guest experience partners'.
In ancient Rome, victorious generals were styled 'imperator' by the army.
- styled as
- styled himself
- styled themselves
- styled by
Grammar Patterns
style + object + noun phrase
style + object + as + noun phrase
style + reflexive + noun phrase
Usage Note
Formal or literary in tone. Frequently used in historical descriptions (kings, emperors) or when reporting self-given titles. The reflexive construction 'style oneself [title]' often carries a slightly critical tone, suggesting the title is exaggerated or undeserved.
Common Mistakes
style — suffix
1. used at the end of a noun to form adjectives or adverbs meaning 'in the manner o
used at the end of a noun to form adjectives or adverbs meaning 'in the manner or fashion of' that noun — for example, Italian-style cooking means cooking done in the Italian manner.
The café serves family-style meals on large platters for sharing.
suffix: family-style (adverb)
They opened a New York-style pizzeria that sells thin-crust slices.
suffix: New York-style (adjective)
Hyun decorated her kitchen in a farmhouse-style with wooden shelves.
Ada prepared a home-style stew with fresh vegetables from the garden.
- family-style
- home-style
- New York-style
- Italian-style
- buffet-style
Grammar Patterns
noun + -style
Usage Note
Written with a hyphen (Italian-style) when used before a noun, and optionally without a hyphen in informal use. This suffix is very productive — new combinations appear frequently (bistro-style, lounge-style, buffet-style).
style — adjective combining form
1. used after a noun to form an adjective meaning 'visually resembling or having th
used after a noun to form an adjective meaning 'visually resembling or having the typical character of' that noun — for example, a vintage-style lamp gives the look of an earlier era without being genuinely old.
The hotel offers European-style service with round-the-clock room availability.
combining form: European-style (adjective)
Matthew bought a vintage-style radio that has a hidden Bluetooth speaker.
The bakery is known for its old-style loaves made with traditional methods.
Talia prefers Western-style clothes but wears traditional jewellery.
- European-style
- vintage-style
- old-style
- Western-style
- modern-style
Grammar Patterns
noun + -style
Usage Note
Very similar to the suffix '-style', but this combining form focuses more on appearance and character (looking like something) rather than on manner or method. Common in retail and design descriptions.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Style, manner, approach, method, and technique all describe how something is done, but they differ in what they emphasise. Style highlights the distinctive, recognisable character of a person's way of doing things — it is personal and often aesthetic. Manner is more general and neutral; it simply describes the way something happens without implying uniqueness or quality. Approach focuses on the overall strategy or attitude someone takes toward a task, especially before the details are worked out. Method is more systematic and procedural — a method is a planned, step-by-step way of doing something. Technique draws attention to skill and precision in performing specific actions. For example, a chef's cooking style might be rustic or elegant (personal character), while their approach to menu planning could be seasonal, their method of making stock follows classic French rules, and their knife technique is what ensures even cuts.
Common collocations
Nouns
- sense of style
- variety of styles
- range of styles
- element of style
Adverbs
- beautifully styled
- elegantly styled
- simply styled
Phrases
- in the style of
- in true...style
- all style and no substance
Prepositions
- in style
- out of style
- style of
- style for
Etymology
The word 'style' comes from Latin 'stilus' meaning a pointed writing instrument used on wax tablets. The meaning later shifted from 'a way of writing' to 'a way of expressing oneself,' and eventually to 'a distinctive manner or fashion' in any field. English borrowed the word through French 'style' in the 14th century. The botanical sense (referring to the part of a flower) came into use in the 18th century, based on the same shape metaphor — the style of a flower resembles a writing instrument.