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 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

Regulators accused the company of using manipulative loot box systems that hid the true cost of purchases and misled players, particularly minors, about their odds of success. —Aj Dhaliwal, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025

But now, the poster saw Walt as extremely manipulative, someone who spins stories about threats to keep Jesse loyal. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025

Ezekiel calls her selfish, manipulative, and incapable of accountability. —Stacia Brown, Vulture, 2 July 2025

Cleveland Clinic defines osteopathic medicine as treating patients as a whole and improving wellness through education and prevention. DOs also receive extra training in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), which is a hands-on method for treating and diagnosing patients. —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025

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