manipulative

adjective

ma·​nip·​u·​la·​tive mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlā-tiv How to pronounce manipulative (audio)
-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 an artful 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 Her heart was getting broken repeatedly by a boyfriend who was ethereally lovely but manipulative, and addicted to heroin. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 Suspecting foul play, the woman trams up with a manipulative hacker and cybersecurity expert to try to dig deeper. Patrick Frater, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 In part due to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from royal life, there is a newfound sense of the royals as conniving and manipulative, and the press plays into this. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 Don’t let temptation lead you astray or allow someone’s manipulative tactics cost you. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 The fear of abandonment can cause love addicts to engage in controlling or manipulative behaviors, further straining the relationship. Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 This undervaluation is a direct result of manipulative tactics by certain entities looking to exploit our assets in Argentina. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Feb. 2024 Florence Pugh brings the character back in the new Denis Villeneuve film. 04 of 16 Kenneth McMillan and Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen Kenneth McMillan originated the role of the power-hungry, conniving and manipulative antagonist Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in the film series. Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 In essence, to disengage from manipulative, abusive or otherwise toxic conversations, your responses must be as uninteresting as possible. Mark Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manipulative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manipulative was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near manipulative

Cite this Entry

“Manipulative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manipulative. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on manipulative

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!