manpower
gb/mˈænpˌaʊɚ/ us/mˈænpˌaʊɚ/
B2
English
~ 9100
munkaerő, katonai létszám, élőerő
NOUN
B2
1
munkaerő
B1
Usage pattern:
enough manpower to [do something]
We don't have enough manpower to finish the project on time.
Nincs elég munkaerőnk ahhoz, hogy időben befejezzük a projektet.
The company is hiring more manpower to handle customer support.
A cég több munkaerőt vesz fel az ügyfélszolgálati feladatok ellátására.
Due to a shortage of manpower, the hospital had to close two wards.
This job requires a lot of manpower during the holiday season.
The manager asked headquarters to send additional manpower for the event.
Learner examples
The shop needs more manpower on Saturdays.
A boltnak szombatonként több munkaerőre van szüksége.
There is not enough manpower to clean the whole building today.
Ma nincs elég munkaerő az egész épület kitakarításához.
They brought in extra manpower to move the heavy boxes.
Our team lost some manpower when two workers quit.
We will have a manpower problem if more people get sick.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes treat 'manpower' as a countable noun and say *'two manpowers'* or *'many manpowers'*. 'Manpower' is uncountable, so use phrases like 'more manpower', 'a lot of manpower', or 'a lack of manpower'. Some learners also confuse 'manpower' with 'man' and think it refers only to male workers; in modern use it usually means workers of any gender, but many organizations prefer 'workforce' or 'staff' as more neutral terms.
Meaning
supply of people to work
Collocations
enough manpower
|lack of manpower
|manpower shortage
|additional manpower
|skilled manpower
|manpower needs
Synonyms
workforce (Very close in meaning; a neutral and often preferred gender‑neutral term for all workers in a company or area.)
|
staff (Usually refers to the people employed in a particular organization, not to the general supply of workers.)
|
personnel (More formal; often used in business or administrative contexts for employees of an organization.)
|
labor force (More economic or technical; often used for all people who can work in a country or region.)
Antonyms
understaffing (Names the opposite situation, where there are too few workers for the work that must be done.)
|
automation (Refers to replacing human workers with machines, reducing the need for manpower.)
Themes
business
|work
|economics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The people who are available to work or help with a job, especially when talking about how many workers there are.
The number or supply of people who are available to do work or carry out tasks, especially when considering whether there are enough workers for a job or organization.
NOUN
C1
2
élőerő
C1
Usage pattern:
military manpower in [a place]
The country lacks the manpower to maintain troops in two regions at once.
Az ország nem rendelkezik elegendő katonai létszámmal ahhoz, hogy egyszerre két térségben tartson fenn csapatokat.
Military planners are worried about declining manpower levels.
A katonai tervezőket aggasztja a katonai létszám csökkenése.
The new policy aims to increase manpower in the navy.
Manpower shortages have delayed the deployment of peacekeeping forces.
They shifted manpower from the border to support operations in the capital.
Learner examples
The army needs more manpower for this mission.
A hadseregnek nagyobb létszámra van szüksége ehhez a küldetéshez.
The government is cutting manpower in the armed forces.
A kormány csökkenti a fegyveres erők létszámát.
Low manpower makes it hard to protect the long border.
They moved manpower from the air force to the army.
Manpower in the navy grew after the new law.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this sense is mainly used in military or defense contexts and try to apply it to any group of people, where 'staff' or 'team' would be more natural. They might also confuse 'manpower' with 'firepower'; 'firepower' refers to weapons and their strength, not the number of soldiers.
Meaning
number of people in armed forces
Collocations
military manpower
|manpower levels
|manpower strength
|manpower reserves
|manpower planning
|manpower deployment
Synonyms
troop strength (Military term focusing on the number of soldiers available for operations.)
|
personnel (General term for people employed in an organization; in military contexts it means soldiers and officers collectively.)
|
forces (Refers to military groups as a whole, not only to their number, but often used when discussing size.)
Antonyms
demobilization (Refers to reducing or releasing military manpower from active service.)
|
disarmament (Refers to reducing military forces and weapons, which includes cutting manpower.)
Themes
military
|politics
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The number of people in an army or other military group, especially when talking about how strong it is.
The total number of people serving in an army or other armed forces, especially when talking about military strength or how many soldiers are available.
Grammar
Dictionary form
manpower
IPA
GB/mˈænpˌaʊɚ/
US/mˈænpˌaʊɚ/
Syllables & stress
man - power (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (man)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: manpower
- Plural: manpower
Word family
Expressions
additional manpower
1/ədˈɪʃənəl mˈænpˌaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
extra workers for a task
More people added to help with work or a project.
Examples
- We brought in additional manpower to complete the construction on time.
- The team requested additional manpower to handle the new orders.
lack of manpower
1/lˈæk əv mˈænpˌaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
having too few workers
Not having enough people to do the work or help with a job.
Examples
- The repairs were delayed due to a lack of manpower.
- We had to cancel the event because of a lack of manpower.
manpower planning
1/mˈænpˌaʊɚ plˈænɪŋ/
fixed phrase
technical
planning future worker needs
A business process where a company thinks about and decides how many workers it will need and what kind of workers it will need in the future.
Examples
- Effective manpower planning is essential for long‑term business growth.
- The HR department is responsible for manpower planning and recruitment.
manpower shortage
1/mˈænpˌaʊɚ ʃˈɔɹtɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
not enough workers available
A situation where there are too few people to do all the work that needs to be done.
Examples
- Because of a manpower shortage, the company had to reduce its opening hours.
- The hospital is facing a serious manpower shortage in the emergency department.