manipulative

adjective

ma·​nip·​u·​la·​tive mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlā-tiv 

-lə-

: of, relating to, or performed by manipulation

Osteopathy emphasizes manipulative techniques to correct abnormalities thought to cause disease and inhibit recovery.

—Carol L. Otis et al.

especially : serving or intended to control or influence others in a deceptive and often unfair or selfish way

a clever and manipulative child

manipulative behavior

Simpleminded as his critics found his ideas and remarks, cynical and manipulative as he may have been in actuality, he seemed to believe every word he said.

—Arthur Miller

manipulatively adverb

manipulativeness noun

Examples of manipulative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That doesn’t seem that manipulative to me. —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026

Marianne Proctor was at church the day a constituent walked up to the state representative to tell her about the manipulative grooming her daughter endured at a school within the legislator’s district. —Stephanie Kuzydym, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Jan. 2026

Laura is suspicious about Cherry's mysterious past, while Cherry is worried about Laura's manipulative tendencies. —Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026

The horrors of the 1988 chapter open the door for a plot development that risks coming across as manipulative. —Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for manipulative

• accommodative
• accumulative
• adjudicative
• administrative
• agglutinative
• ameliorative
• appreciative
• assimilative
• associative
• authoritative
• collaborative
• cooperative