manipulate

1 to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means <the con man would slyly manipulate the emotions of his marks in order to win their sympathy and trust> Synonyms exploit, play (upon) Related Words engineer, finagle, jockey, maneuver; beguile, bluff, cozen, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hoodwink, kid, shanghai, snow, take in, trick; intrigue, machinate, plot, scheme; arrange, contrive, devise, finesse, mastermind; cheat, chisel, con, defraud, fleece, gyp, hustle, swindle

2 to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently <a scientist effortlessly manipulating a slew of statistics while testifying before Congress> Synonyms address, contend (with), cope (with), field, grapple (with), hack, manage, maneuver, handle, negotiate, play, swing, take, treatRelated Words engineer, finesse, jockey; bring off, carry off, carry out, get off, pull; command, direct, guide, steer; control, micromanage, regulate, run; react (to), respond (to)Near Antonyms botch, bungle, foozle, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), mishandle, muff, scamp

3 to plan out usually with subtle skill or care <manipulated the schedule of presidential primaries so that the choice of the party elders would win the nomination> Synonyms contrive, finagle, finesse, frame, machinate, maneuver, engineer, mastermind, negotiate, wangleRelated Words arrange, concert, conclude, hammer out, work out; angle (for), compass, intrigue, plot, scheme; connive; brew, concoct, cook (up), hatch; captain, command, conduct, direct, handle, manage, quarterback, run; gerrymanderNear Antonyms blow, bobble, botch, bungle, butcher, flub, fumble, gum (up), louse up, mangle, mess (up), mishandle, muff