manage

1 of 2

verb

man·​age ˈma-nij How to pronounce manage (audio)
managed; managing

transitive verb

1
: to handle or direct with a degree of skill: such as
a
: to exercise executive, administrative, and supervisory direction of
manage a business
manage a bond issue
manages a baseball team
b
: to treat with care : husband
managed his resources carefully
c
: to make and keep compliant
can't manage their child
2
: to direct the professional career of
an agency that manages entertainers
3
: to succeed in accomplishing : contrive
managed to escape from prison
4
: to work upon or try to alter for a purpose
manage the press
manage stress

intransitive verb

1
: to achieve one's purpose
He managed only by careful planning.
2
a
: to direct or carry on business or affairs
also : to direct a baseball team
b
: to admit of being carried on

manage

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the schooling or handling of a horse
b
: a riding school
c
archaic : the action and paces of a trained riding horse
2
obsolete : management
Choose the Right Synonym for manage

conduct, manage, control, direct mean to use one's powers to lead, guide, or dominate.

conduct implies taking responsibility for the acts and achievements of a group.

conducted negotiations

manage implies direct handling and manipulating or maneuvering toward a desired result.

manages a meat market

control implies a regulating or restraining in order to keep within bounds or on a course.

controlling his appetite

direct implies constant guiding and regulating so as to achieve smooth operation.

directs the store's day-to-day business

Example Sentences

Verb The business is managed by the owner's daughter. The company is badly managed. When she managed the department, we never missed a deadline. He manages his own finances. an agency that manages entertainers He is skillful in managing horses. There's enough food if we manage it well. We need to do a better job of managing our natural resources. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Changing your money habits is hard, especially if you were never properly taught how to manage your finances. Abigail Bailey, Good Housekeeping, 22 Mar. 2023 These are absolutely critical skills that the leader of a municipality must have in order to effectively manage a community. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2023 Reagan’s other target was UC President Clark Kerr, a liberal educator of nationwide renown who had been the architect of the master plan but had been unable to figure out how to peacefully manage the Berkeley unrest. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023 Toney left in February to coach the position for the Arizona Cardinals, fulfilling his NFL dream and allowing Raymond to manage all the pieces on the back end. Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2023 The federal government plans to hire government contractors to manage the system. Shira Stein, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 Mar. 2023 If part of the magic comes from having a human in the loop to manage what seems like (but probably aren’t) relatively simple human-robot interactions, turning that into effective autonomy could be a real challenge. IEEE Spectrum, 22 Mar. 2023 The Feld family continued to manage the circus after it was sold to Mattel in 1971. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2023 At Michigan, Shuman said, there are multiple pharmacists whose full-time jobs are to manage drug shortages. Jen Christensen, CNN, 22 Mar. 2023
Noun
Consider how to self-manage to be cognitively and emotionally agile. Jacqueline Ashley, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023 Joy Organics Organic CBD Gummies Joy Organics Organic CBD Gummies are a great way to take your daily dose of CBD in a tasty and easy-to-manage way. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2023 In a centralized operating model, teams are organized to handle specific detailed workstreams, while automation and AI technology manage rote administrative tasks. Tyler Christiansen, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2023 The sequence of legal mechanic for the changeover was outlined by Mac C. Taylor, manage of the Vista Chamber of Commerce and secretary of the Vista Incorporation Group, the citizen organization that spearheaded the campaign. Scott Boyles, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Jan. 2023 So, how did a relatively young and small New York financial research firm manage to bring the Adani juggernaut to a juddering halt? Diksha Madhok, CNN, 31 Jan. 2023 Catherine Parsekian manage to inject a few arms, others take notice and get their triceps ready as well. USA Today, 13 Jan. 2023 Between their day jobs (Mitchell is an operations manage, Seagle is an engineer), brewing beer and operating the business, time off was rare. Marc Bona, cleveland, 8 Dec. 2022 Her spare Friday also gives her the flexibility to stage-manage cabaret and circus shows and festivals. Shafi Musaddique, The Christian Science Monitor, 28 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'manage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Italian maneggiare, from mano hand, from Latin manus

Noun

Italian maneggio management, training of a horse, from maneggiare

First Known Use

Verb

1561, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Time Traveler
The first known use of manage was in 1561

Dictionary Entries Near manage

Cite this Entry

“Manage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manage. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

manage

verb
man·​age
ˈman-ij
managed; managing
1
: to look after and make decisions about : direct
manage a factory
2
: to make and keep under one's control : handle
manages her skis well
skill in managing horses
3
: to treat with care : husband
there's enough food if it's managed well
4
: to succeed in one's purpose : get along
manages despite a heavy schedule
always manages to win somehow
5
: to work upon or try to alter for a purpose
manage stress
6
: to direct the professional career of
an agency managing performers
manageability
ˌman-ij-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
manageable
ˈman-ij-ə-bəl
adjective
Etymology

Verb

from Italian maneggiare "to handle, direct, manage," from mano "hand," from Latin manus "hand" — related to maneuver, manual, manufacture see Word History at maneuver

Medical Definition

manage

transitive verb
man·​age ˈman-ij How to pronounce manage (audio)
managed; managing
: to conduct the management of
poorly managed diabetes

More from Merriam-Webster on manage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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