1
as in to exploit
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to manage
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
spin doctors manipulating the data to make it seem more favorable to their preferred candidates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to negotiate
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manipulate
John was accused of manipulating Malvo to serve as his partner in the shootings.
—
Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Officials later issued fines to the other teams that helped manipulate the race.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Rozier’s arrest was tied to allegations of manipulating in-game statistics to benefit betting operations, while Billups was accused of participating in illicit poker events connected to the criminal network.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025
Ranging between microwaves and infrared light, these electromagnetic frequencies promise ultrafast wireless links but are very difficult to create and manipulate efficiently.
—Meghie Rodrigues, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Officials later issued fines to the other teams that helped manipulate the race.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Rozier’s arrest was tied to allegations of manipulating in-game statistics to benefit betting operations, while Billups was accused of participating in illicit poker events connected to the criminal network.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025
Ranging between microwaves and infrared light, these electromagnetic frequencies promise ultrafast wireless links but are very difficult to create and manipulate efficiently.
—Meghie Rodrigues, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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As European nations—including France—maintained colonial rule, exploiting millions of people of color across the globe, Nardal wielded her writings as a weapon to challenge the global color line.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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There are reservations, though, about the intertwining of Christianity and conservative politics, and opportunistic politicians exploiting a movement to suit their agenda.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So are the county administrators who manage their benefits.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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The dispute began when Nicklaus sold GBI Investors—which had licensed his intellectual property and managed his golf course design business—to Milstein in 2007.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Tatiana’s settlement with Carlos Pino and his family — negotiated through mediation led by Miami attorney Bruce Greer — followed another important step for her.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
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Loan spells for Alan Montes and Santiago Muñoz have concluded and Sporting KC will continue to negotiate with Schewe and Muñoz.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In fact, the term itself was an epithet throughout the founding era, a way to describe ignorant and easily deceived popular majorities, perpetually vulnerable to demagogues.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Of course someone like Denji would fall for it, and in a way, the desire to be deceived is actually an important aspect of romantic feelings.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Chelsea Boots Chaco Fields Chelsea Waterproof For easy, versatile fall footwear, pack a boot that can handle everything from a simple hike to a reservation at a restaurant for dinner.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
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Barrymore, whose daughter Olive just turned 13, turned to Falco to ask her advice on how to handle some of the ups and downs of teenagehood.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There, McIlroy was seen posing for photos with several of his trophies arranged on the basalt rocks, paying tribute to a season that many consider his most meaningful of all time.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Victoria Goodwin was sentenced to prison in May for arranging the plot with a Florida inmate.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In August 1996, Queen Elizabeth issued a new letters patent to address the issue of HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) stylings following a divorce within the royal family.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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The team at Mynerva, a spinoff company from ETH Zurich, has developed a way to address this with smart textiles and AI processing, over the past five years.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Scientists at Rice University have engineered living cells to light up like tiny beacons, revealing protein changes in real time.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
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With powerful video models now available to anyone with a browser, the internet will soon flood with high-volume, high-intensity clips engineered for shock, irony, or dopamine.—
Victor Riparbelli,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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