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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manipulate
In digital tests, wearers used natural pinching and grasping gestures to zoom and manipulate virtual objects on a computer screen with fluid precision.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026
In a blog post Wednesday, the exchange said that crypto projects cannot have any revenue-sharing models with market makers, and that market makers also cannot engage with projects to manipulate prices or distort liquidity of the tokens.
—Muyao Shen, Bloomberg, 25 Mar. 2026
During this time, Joseph manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
Iranian officials disputed his claims of diplomatic progress and accused the president of trying to buy time and manipulate the financial and oil markets to quell mounting outrage over market instability.
—Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026
In a blog post Wednesday, the exchange said that crypto projects cannot have any revenue-sharing models with market makers, and that market makers also cannot engage with projects to manipulate prices or distort liquidity of the tokens.
—Muyao Shen, Bloomberg, 25 Mar. 2026
During this time, Joseph manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 25 Mar. 2026
Iranian officials disputed his claims of diplomatic progress and accused the president of trying to buy time and manipulate the financial and oil markets to quell mounting outrage over market instability.
—Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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With key Pistons defenders like Ausar Thompson (ankle), Cade Cunningham (lung), and Isaiah Stewart (calf) sidelined or doubtful, Gilgeous-Alexander has a prime opportunity to exploit the matchup.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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This property is driven by a phenomenon known as plasmonics, where light interacting with a material generates collective oscillations of electrons, producing highly localized electromagnetic fields that can be exploited in technologies such as sensing, catalysis, and energy harvesting.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And across these two games, England managed just one goal, when Ben White tapped in on Friday.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Officials state the move will place leadership closer to the Western lands the agency manages and improve its mission.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But stocks were buoyed by reports that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was willing to negotiate.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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There were no mass demonstrations by the Iranian people against the regime, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continued to fight even more ferociously, and Khamenei’s death did nothing to bring Iran’s negotiating position onto a more reasonable plane.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The specifications on the Neo can be deceiving.—
Dwight Silverman,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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Klipsch Austin Portable Bluetooth Speaker Deal Don't be deceived by the small Klipsch Austin portable speaker.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As part of the Waldorf’s rebirth, the French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon handled the hotel’s interiors, furniture, and amenities.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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Pawel Chudzicki, whose law firm handled the licenses for Global Risk, told me that the State Department had conducted an inquiry in response to the Associated Press article and identified no violations of the law.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The academy had been looking for a venue that offered greater control over how the show is staged, including how the audience is arranged and how the room is used for both the broadcast and the live event.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Mar. 2026
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Trump administration officials are working to arrange a meeting in Pakistan this weekend to discuss an off-ramp to the war in Iran, two senior administration officials told CNN.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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To address these challenges, researchers designed a hybrid composite actuator that combines shape memory alloys (SMAs) with shape memory polymers (SMPs).—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
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This is due to a limitation in the Pennsylvania Legislature that families and advocates are working to address.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman told CBS News that the most effective way to reduce oil consumption is for people to change their driving habits — primarily by driving less — while acknowledging that engineering such a shift isn't easy.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Truekind bras are engineered to provide gentle support that works with real bodies, and not against them.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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