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

Anchored by deeply human and unforgettable performances, the film manages to be funny, heartbreaking, surreal, and ultimately life-affirming without ever feeling manipulative. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 May 2026

Platforms should be required to default to the least manipulative, most privacy-protective settings for users under 18. —Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 7 May 2026

Washington state’s House Bill 2225, due to come into effect in January 2027, will explicitly ban manipulative techniques such as excessive praise, pretending to feel distress, encouraging isolation from family, or creating overdependent relationships. —IEEE Spectrum, 6 May 2026

The show is postapocalyptic and emotionally manipulative—think The Last of Us meets This Is Us—but the supple acting and careful character development pay off in the latest season. —Dan Zak, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for manipulative

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