micromanage

verb

mi·​cro·​man·​age ˌmī-krō-ˈma-nij How to pronounce micromanage (audio)
micromanaged; micromanaging; micromanages

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
micromanagement noun
micromanager noun

Examples of micromanage in a Sentence

He micromanaged every detail of the budget.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Things Parents Should Not Do 1) Don't micromanage the process. Scott White, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 Through her previous roles in marketing and HR, Mallick experienced a wide range of toxic boss behavior, not limited to yelling, micromanaging, gossiping, taking credit for others’ work and napping through meetings. Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 11 July 2025 While competition in the aviation sector has flourished since the federal government stopped micromanaging fares, routes, and who gets to fly, Uncle Sam still controls the country’s aviation infrastructure and workforce that operates it. Jackson Shedelbower, Oc Register, 17 June 2025 The nation’s 2014 coup d’etat was commonly ascribed to a desire by the nation’s elites to micromanage the transition to King Vajiralongkorn. Charlie Campbell, Time, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for micromanage

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of micromanage was in 1976

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Cite this Entry

“Micromanage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/micromanage. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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