Synonyms of manipulate

manipulate

verb

mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlāt 

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

• exploit
• deceive
• play (upon)
• maneuver
• trick
• engineer
• delude
• devise
• fool
• hoodwink
• dupe
• finagle
• scheme
• arrange
• jockey
• defraud
• plot
• cheat
• bluff
• intrigue
• beguile
• snow
• gull
• swindle
• contrive
• take in
• cozen
• kid
• machinate
• mastermind
• finesse
• shanghai
• hoax
• con
• chisel
• fleece
• hustle

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

• manage
• handle
• address
• negotiate
• treat
• take
• play
• maneuver
• field
• cope (with)
• swing
• hack
• contend (with)
• grapple (with)
• control
• pull
• come to grips with
• regulate
• have a grip on
• carry out
• engineer
• steer
• get off
• carry off
• direct
• guide
• finesse
• respond (to)
• react (to)
• jockey
• micromanage
• command
• bring off
• run

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• botch
• fumble
• mishandle
• bungle
• goof (up)
• mess (up)
• scamp
• louse up
• muff
• foozle

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

• negotiate
• arrange
• engineer
• manage
• maneuver
• plot
• contrive
• finagle
• finesse
• frame
• machinate
• conclude
• wangle
• mastermind
• scheme
• conduct
• work out
• handle
• connive
• hammer out
• concoct
• concert
• direct
• intrigue
• angle (for)
• hatch
• compass
• cook (up)
• brew
• command
• run
• gerrymander
• quarterback
• captain

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blow
• butcher
• gum (up)
• mangle
• botch
• mishandle
• fumble
• bungle
• mess (up)
• louse up
• muff
• flub
• bobble

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of manipulate

In this case, researchers from Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 were able to read enough plaintext data from Google's Password Manager to manipulate the cloud authenticator and access whatever the passkey protected. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026

Whenever Rebecca can outfox him, Rupert manages to manipulate situations, which is how the Water sign aims to take control of matters. — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026

Those releases were queasy, dank, almost fetid, as though Ableton could manipulate flesh as well as frequencies. — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026

One of the bureau's biggest concerns is sextortion — a crime in which predators manipulate or coerce children into sending explicit images, then threaten to share those images unless the child sends more or pays money. — Brian Unger, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026