expression

bedside manner

a doctor's approach and attitude toward patients

In Medicine & Health

In more detail

the way a doctor or nurse behaves toward patients, especially how kind, calm, and reassuring they are

Examples

The doctor had an excellent bedside manner, which helped ease her patients' anxiety.

How to use bedside manner

Bedside manner refers specifically to how healthcare professionals interact with and treat patients, emphasizing qualities like empathy, attentiveness, and reassurance. It is used in medical contexts and broader discussions of professional care, and carries an evaluative tone—one either has good or poor bedside manner. The term can extend metaphorically to other professionals who work directly with people.

Common phrases

good bedside manner
poor bedside manner
excellent bedside manner
develop bedside manner
lack bedside manner

Synonyms

interpersonal skills · patient care approach · clinical demeanor · professional conduct · compassionate care

Opposites

rudeness · callousness · indifference

A common mistake

Learners sometimes treat it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a bedside manner') when it is used as an uncountable mass noun; say 'good bedside manner' not 'a good bedside manner.'

Learn it for good

Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.

Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD