1
as in to exploit
to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means
the con man would slyly manipulate the emotions of his marks in order to win their sympathy and trust
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to manage
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
spin doctors manipulating the data to make it seem more favorable to their preferred candidates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
manipulated the schedule of presidential primaries so that the choice of the party elders would win the nomination
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manipulate
The delay does not necessarily mean the data is being manipulated.
—
Filip Timotija, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
And for decades, prosecutors have used peremptory challenges — challenges that don’t need a cause — to manipulate the makeup of juries.
—Denise Amos, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2025
Cultivated potatoes are prone to disease, and—thanks to their four-copy genomes—a pain to breed and genetically manipulate.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 31 July 2025
Fast-forward to this month, when Paramount agreed to a $16 million settlement to move past Trump's claims that CBS's 60 Minutes deceptively manipulated a pre-election interview with Kamala Harris.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Filip Timotija, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
And for decades, prosecutors have used peremptory challenges — challenges that don’t need a cause — to manipulate the makeup of juries.
—Denise Amos, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2025
Cultivated potatoes are prone to disease, and—thanks to their four-copy genomes—a pain to breed and genetically manipulate.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 31 July 2025
Fast-forward to this month, when Paramount agreed to a $16 million settlement to move past Trump's claims that CBS's 60 Minutes deceptively manipulated a pre-election interview with Kamala Harris.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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In many instances, the legitimate owner is unaware that their addresses are being exploited.—
Vincentas Grinius,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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Microsoft said its analysis showed that Chinese hackers were exploiting SharePoint weaknesses as early as July 7.—
Renee Dudley,
ProPublica,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Uber's operational model prioritizes rapid market entry with standardized processes that can be quickly deployed across new cities, often learning and adapting on the fly while managing the complexity of hundreds of simultaneous markets.—
Tima Bansal,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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The process would be vastly easier to manage if not for that pesky academic calendar.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Brokers and dealers working more like Reynier in the days of La Réserve would take small parcels from the secondary market or negotiate parcels directly with distilleries.—
Mark Littler,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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The sale of Naked Ambition was negotiated by Brian Andreotti of Music Box Films and director Kareem Tabsch.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As Venus clashes with Pluto, looks can be deceiving.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
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Their favorite strategies for deceiving or undermining cyber-defense systems and applications include self-modifying malware and automated phishing efforts.—
Chuck Brooks,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Teams handle data all the time—but in many companies, the steps teams must take to stay compliant aren’t built into daily work.—
Jodi Daniels,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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International sales are being handled by Totem Films.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Interested buyers, their representatives or brokers can arrange for special tours.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
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As a fixer, Miguel has arranged interviews with El Mayo’s inner circle.—
Jesse Hyde,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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City leaders addressed concerns about rising crime and the portrayal of the incident in the media.—
Scott Wartman,
The Enquirer,
2 Aug. 2025
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The Cambodian Human Rights Committee, a government agency, released a letter addressed to the U.N. high commissioner for human rights claiming that the two soldiers had been tortured and denied medical care.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This is precisely why some companies are back in the lab to engineer new combustion-free ways to consume flower.—
Benjamin Adams,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Isak is trying to engineer change too — in his case, a move from St James’ to Liverpool.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.
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