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
Relevance
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
Indigenous communities such as the Pueblo and Navajo were manipulating cotton fibers long before colonizers laid claim to their lands.
—
Cierra Black, Essence, 9 July 2025
On the other hand, Lex Luthor creates an intra-dimensional pocket universe to jail his ex-girlfriends and manipulates public opinion with an army of enslaved monkeys who blast anti-Superman propaganda onto social media.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
If that data is biased, flawed or maliciously manipulated, the models will faithfully reproduce those distortions at scale—often without obvious warning.
—Wendy Chin, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
The legislation was driven by concerns that the Chinese government could manipulate content and access sensitive data from American users.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Cierra Black, Essence, 9 July 2025
On the other hand, Lex Luthor creates an intra-dimensional pocket universe to jail his ex-girlfriends and manipulates public opinion with an army of enslaved monkeys who blast anti-Superman propaganda onto social media.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
If that data is biased, flawed or maliciously manipulated, the models will faithfully reproduce those distortions at scale—often without obvious warning.
—Wendy Chin, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
The legislation was driven by concerns that the Chinese government could manipulate content and access sensitive data from American users.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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Sheeraz is also adept at timing; if his foe offers a slight opening, Sheeraz can exploit it and land a powerful strike.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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His bat speed hasn’t slowed, but there will always be ways to exploit even the greatest hitters.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Australia’s oldest operating planetarium is the Melbourne Planetarium, managed by Museums Victoria since 1965.—
Martin Bush,
Space.com,
5 July 2025
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His podcast with son and managing partner and pollster Jeremy Zogby can be heard here.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 July 2025
Verb
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After putting together a career-best season, Norman Powell expected to negotiate a contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers.—
Ivan Carter,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
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Derby has reportedly offered Charlotte FC an $8 million transfer fee, which if accepted, would allow the English club to negotiate with Agyemang on a contract.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Step two: Defend against junk fees These nefarious fees are designed either to confuse or deceive consumers.—
Jill Schlesinger,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
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Several state legislators and other state officials will testify that they were deceived by the conspirators regarding the operations of Phoenix Solutions, according to prosecutors.—
Evan Mealins,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Verb
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There are, however, a variety of B2B businesses out there tailored to handle services like these.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
5 July 2025
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Hexagon's new humanoid robot is built to step into these tough environments, handling repetitive and error-prone tasks so businesses can keep things running smoothly and safely.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2025
Verb
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Horowitz spent decades arranging for Sondheim’s archives to come to the Library of Congress.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
13 July 2025
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The controversy comes at a time the United States is trying to arrange a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Verb
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This strategy might be helpful to address the challenge with wildfires because satellites can get a more global view of the spread of pollutants.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
9 July 2025
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As a result, layoffs can continue while legal challenges are addressed in the lower courts.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
9 July 2025
Verb
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It’s engineered for high-performance boating, combining lightweight carbon fiber construction with advanced infusion and vacuum bagging techniques.—
Katia Damborsky,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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Mice that had been genetically engineered to lack the enzyme CTH that helps produce cysteine from methionine were fed a cysteine-free diet.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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