1
as in exploits
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
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2
as in manages
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 negotiates
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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Recent Examples of manipulates
The Overlook Hotel is, yes, sinister and even demonic, taunting Jack Torrance with bizarre visions that Kubrick manipulates to create a mounting sense of dread.
—
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
This created a tunable metasurface, a structured layer that manipulates how waves interact with the surface, allowing the coating to absorb radar signals across various frequencies.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Inspired by her antihero, DaCosta manipulates Ibsen to suit her own goals.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Don't Look Now manipulates audiences' minds, mixing elements of the occult with the overwhelming need for hope into a plot twist audiences will find difficult to swallow.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Instead of relying on pigments or coatings, LightRipple manipulates reflection and refraction at the microscopic level, producing a dynamic play of gold and shadow that shifts subtly as the case moves.
—New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2025
Complicating matters is the insidious Host character (voiced by Len Cunningham’s father, Liam Cunningham), who manipulates the players’ reality.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
All of this is possible because hackers use a tactic called SEO poisoning, which manipulates Google's search results so their fake websites appear near the top.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The patch was created by combining nanophotonics technology, which manipulates light at the nanometer scale (one-hundred-thousandth the thickness of a human hair) to read molecular properties, with microfluidics technology, which precisely controls sweat in channels thinner than a hair.
—Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
This created a tunable metasurface, a structured layer that manipulates how waves interact with the surface, allowing the coating to absorb radar signals across various frequencies.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Inspired by her antihero, DaCosta manipulates Ibsen to suit her own goals.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Don't Look Now manipulates audiences' minds, mixing elements of the occult with the overwhelming need for hope into a plot twist audiences will find difficult to swallow.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Instead of relying on pigments or coatings, LightRipple manipulates reflection and refraction at the microscopic level, producing a dynamic play of gold and shadow that shifts subtly as the case moves.
—New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2025
Complicating matters is the insidious Host character (voiced by Len Cunningham’s father, Liam Cunningham), who manipulates the players’ reality.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 2 Oct. 2025
All of this is possible because hackers use a tactic called SEO poisoning, which manipulates Google's search results so their fake websites appear near the top.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The patch was created by combining nanophotonics technology, which manipulates light at the nanometer scale (one-hundred-thousandth the thickness of a human hair) to read molecular properties, with microfluidics technology, which precisely controls sweat in channels thinner than a hair.
—Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulates
Verb
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This scam exploits wireless technology to withdraw money without your awareness.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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Kimmel’s exploits catching — and sometimes getting bitten by — giant pythons are the stuff of legend in Florida.—
Rich Schapiro,
NBC news,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Arkansas Department of Human Services oversees SNAP, and the Arkansas Department of Health manages WIC.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The teenager manages to skip around Carreras’ challenge, but the defensive pressure means Yamal runs straight into Orkun Kokcu’s tackle.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Rather than dictating rates to providers, Unity negotiates reimbursements tied to Medicare benchmarks.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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Faulí now runs a team of eleven architects, and also negotiates the politics of a project that has numerous stakeholders.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The national entertainment group Knitting Factory Entertainment handles talent-buying duties, according to the release.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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RIOgaleão–Aeroporto Internacional Tom Jobim (GIG) handles most international flights, while Airport Santos Dumont (SDU) focuses on domestic routes and is closer to downtown.—
Aaron Randolph,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Financial compatibility is a necessity, but a partner who arranges things and therefore shows effort is vital.—
Essence,
Essence,
8 Oct. 2025
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An employee arranges a salad dressing display at an Amazon Fresh grocery store on December 12, 2024 in Federal Way, Washington.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The approach also addresses RO’s brine disposal challenge while producing powers.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
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Through a blend of high-power performance, intelligent design, and terrain-adaptive engineering, the brand addresses core user frustrations while elevating the overall riding experience.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Douglass’s former North Star co-editor, Martin Delany, who had been admitted to Harvard Medical School but was forced out after white students complained, responded to Dred Scott — and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 — by writing a novel whose hero escapes bondage and plots an overthrow of slavery.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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Jacob plots to seduce his employers and gain an advantage from their industry connections, but unwittingly walks into a trap.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manipulates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulates. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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