Meaning & use
in a friendly manner
Last updated
UK/ɪn ə ˈfrendli ˈmænə/
US/ɪn ə ˈfrendli ˈmænər/
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
in a way that shows kindness, warmth, and a pleasant attitude toward others
Grammar: Used as an adverbial phrase to describe how someone does something.
Patterns
- do something in a friendly manner
- speak to someone in a friendly manner
She greeted all the guests in a friendly manner.
He always deals with complaints in a friendly manner, which calms people down.
Common combinations
- in a friendly manner
- The manager spoke to the new employees in a friendly manner.
- greet someone in a friendly manner
- The receptionist greeted us in a friendly manner.
- in a professional but friendly manner
- She handled the difficult customer in a professional but friendly manner.
Synonyms and how they differ
- warmly
- More concise and often used to describe emotional warmth; 'in a friendly manner' is more neutral and general.
- kindly
- Focuses on kindness and generosity; 'in a friendly manner' emphasizes a pleasant, sociable attitude.
Opposites
in an unfriendly mannercoldly
Commonly confused: in a friendly manner or in a friendly way?
in a friendly manner vs in a friendly way
Very similar in meaning; 'in a friendly way' is slightly more informal and common in speech.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase includes the article 'a': 'in a friendly manner'. The other options are ungrammatical because they omit the article or use the wrong preposition.
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