micromanage

verb mi·cro·man·age \ ˌmī-krō-ˈma-nij \

Definition of micromanage

transitive verb

:to manage especially with excessive control or attention to details

intransitive verb

:to direct or conduct the activities of a group or an enterprise by micromanaging them

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micromanagement

play \-mənt\ noun

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micromanager

play \-ˈma-ni-jər\ noun

See micromanage defined for English-language learners

Examples of micromanage in a Sentence

He micromanaged every detail of the budget.

Recent Examples of micromanage from the Web

Just be careful not to micromanage yourself in the process.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "What This Week's Horoscope Means for You," 28 Aug. 2017
The decision to micromanage Zuckerberg's stop in Montana from 2,232 miles east in Washington, made by top officials at the Interior Department, the National Park Service's parent agency, was highly unusual - even for a celebrity visit.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Climate experts pulled from Glacier National Park tour with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg," 20 July 2017
Distant federal policymakers inevitably try to regulate and micromanage programs under their control — a recipe for ineffectiveness.

— lindsey burke, National Review, "‘S’ Is for ‘School Choice’ and ‘States’ — Washington Should Back Off," 13 July 2017
Mr. Kalanick, meanwhile, was allowed to operate more or less solo, to micromanage a company that grew to enormous scale, and was left alone even when the firm’s problems became plain to see.

— farhad manjoo, New York Times, "Uber’s Lesson: Silicon Valley’s Start-Up Machine Needs Fixing," 21 June 2017
Among them: a need to micromanage, an inability to be spontaneous and a distinct absence of the common touch.

— karla adam, Washington Post, "Britain votes in election torn between terrorism worries and Brexit strategies," 8 June 2017
Among them: a need to micromanage, an inability to be spontaneous and a distinct absence of the common touch.

— karla adam, Washington Post, "Britain votes in election torn between terrorism worries and Brexit strategies," 8 June 2017
Among them: a need to micromanage, an inability to be spontaneous and a distinct absence of the common touch.

— karla adam, Washington Post, "Britain votes in election torn between terrorism worries and Brexit strategies," 8 June 2017
Among them: a need to micromanage, an inability to be spontaneous and a distinct absence of the common touch.

— karla adam, Washington Post, "Britain votes in election torn between terrorism worries and Brexit strategies," 8 June 2017

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

First Known Use of micromanage

1976

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

MICROMANAGE Defined for English Language Learners

micromanage

verb

Definition of micromanage for English Language Learners

: to try to control or manage all the small parts of (something, such as an activity) in a way that is usually not wanted or that causes problems

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Nglish: Translation of micromanage for Spanish speakers

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micromanage

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micromanage

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