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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
The rest of the crimes followed the same pattern: Sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., the suspects managed to break open a security gate and the front door to a store before emptying the register.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
5 July 2025
-
Grizzly bears would still be managed even after a delisting.—
Christine Peterson,
Wired News,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
In a world where AI agents will negotiate contracts, manage assets, and execute decisions, this kind of integration isn’t a novelty.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
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
Verb
-
Step two: Defend against junk fees These nefarious fees are designed either to confuse or deceive consumers.—
Jill Schlesinger,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
-
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
-
There are, however, a variety of B2B businesses out there tailored to handle services like these.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
5 July 2025
-
While marketed as ideal starter pets for children, they were described by multiple users as difficult to handle and heartbreakingly short-lived.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
In addition to their other tasks, house cleaners will arrange little items like these neatly.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
30 June 2025
-
According to El País, Leyva traveled to the U.S. in April and tried to arrange meetings with high-profile Republicans including Florida U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
In a short social media video posted Tuesday on Instagram, the 41-year-old actress addressed her exit from General Hospital amid her move to Tennessee with daughter Harper.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
9 July 2025
-
Why Investors Are Flooding Into Compounding Pharmacies Compounding pharmacies address deep structural inefficiencies in the pharmaceutical system.—
Sindhya Valloppillil,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share