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 Top executives of an operation that large can’t micromanage every plant in their domain, Michael H. Steinberg, a lawyer for Royal Philips, argued at the hearing. Michael D. Sallah, ProPublica, 27 Oct. 2023 Offer perks and incentives in regular intervals, avoid micromanaging and give more flexibility in work hours. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2023 While Elon Musk micromanages several disparate tech companies, Chuanfu runs just one. Carlton Reid, WIRED, 14 Oct. 2023 General Intelligence also has domestic responsibilities such as keeping Parliament in line and micromanaging the news media. Vivian Yee, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023 At its peak, the Ukraine Defense Fund had 30 volunteers on Slack micromanaging every step of these supply chains. Samanth Subramanian, WIRED, 5 Oct. 2023 Avoid micromanaging the itinerary — especially on a bachelorette party trip. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2023 Instead of micromanaging the number on the scale, focus on goals like including more foods that directly promote wellbeing. Rebecca Jaspan, Mph, Rd, Health, 21 Sep. 2023 According to the release, Leiner’s leadership style hinges on empowering people, giving them the opportunity to innovate, and never micromanaging. Pioneer Press Staff, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'micromanage.' 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

1976, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of micromanage was in 1976

Dictionary Entries Near micromanage

Cite this Entry

“Micromanage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/micromanage. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on micromanage

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