manhole

noun

man·​hole ˈman-ˌhōl How to pronounce manhole (audio)
: a hole through which one may go especially to gain access to an underground or enclosed structure

Examples of manhole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In June, The Associated Press reported on three separate instances of people exiting manholes in Queens and the Williamsburg and Gravesend neighborhoods of Brooklyn. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Two incidents were reported in Brooklyn after police were called for individuals seen going into the manholes. — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 That same morning, video obtained by the Flatbush Scoop shows, seven men climbing out of a manhole under the elevated F train tracks on McDonald Ave. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026 New video shows people climbing out of a manhole in Midtown Manhattan, the latest of several similar incidents across New York City. — Alice Gainer, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manhole

Word History

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manhole was in 1769

Rhymes for manhole

See All Rhymes for manhole

Browse Nearby Words

manhead
manhole
manhood
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Manhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manhole. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

manhole

noun
man·​hole ˈman-ˌhōl How to pronounce manhole (audio)
: a covered hole (as in a pavement, tank, or boiler) through which a worker may go
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