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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manipulates
The Rams star quarterback manipulates opposing players with his eyes.
—
Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Williams acknowledges that there are fears about dubbing fixes being the thin end of a wedge that could lead to actors being replaced, even if Flawless’ AI only manipulates the face from the nose down.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 May 2026
Her husband manipulates her, her best friend hates her, her sister derides her; her entire existence is thin and precarious.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 23 May 2026
Researchers from Doshisha University in Japan have found that the bat does not merely survive this sensory overload, but also actively manipulates its environment to overcome the clutter and locate its prey.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 May 2026
Flashbacks are deployed as more than mere framing devices, since the past plays an active, exciting role in the town’s present, and there’s an extended drug trip that skillfully manipulates lapsed time through recurring blackouts to keep you on the edge of your seat.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
But there is a point where the prediction shapes and manipulates the actual outcome.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
The film is being released as newsrooms shrink, the mainstream media consolidates and social media manipulates the meaning of truth.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
In his score, Wagner manipulates space and scale, suggesting intimate chambers and vast expanses of the North Atlantic with innumerable shadings of orchestration.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
Williams acknowledges that there are fears about dubbing fixes being the thin end of a wedge that could lead to actors being replaced, even if Flawless’ AI only manipulates the face from the nose down.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 May 2026
Her husband manipulates her, her best friend hates her, her sister derides her; her entire existence is thin and precarious.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 23 May 2026
Researchers from Doshisha University in Japan have found that the bat does not merely survive this sensory overload, but also actively manipulates its environment to overcome the clutter and locate its prey.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 May 2026
Flashbacks are deployed as more than mere framing devices, since the past plays an active, exciting role in the town’s present, and there’s an extended drug trip that skillfully manipulates lapsed time through recurring blackouts to keep you on the edge of your seat.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
But there is a point where the prediction shapes and manipulates the actual outcome.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
The film is being released as newsrooms shrink, the mainstream media consolidates and social media manipulates the meaning of truth.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
In his score, Wagner manipulates space and scale, suggesting intimate chambers and vast expanses of the North Atlantic with innumerable shadings of orchestration.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulates
Verb
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The hackers used a common tactic known as credential stuffing to access the data, which exploits weak and reused passwords.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
The addition was a prompt injection, a form of AI attack that exploits an LLM’s inability to distinguish between legitimate user prompts and those from unauthorized, potentially malicious third parties.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2026
Verb
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The group closely manages its propaganda and marketing with several guides that members must strictly adhere to.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
Venue operator Live Nation — which manages more than 300 facilities across the country — initially hoped to build a permanent amphitheater nearby, but scrapped those plans in 2023 after the Irvine City Council ended negotiations.—
Clay Marshall,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The fundraising comes as SpaceX negotiates to pay razor-thin fees to the Wall Street firms, though banks are still likely to rake in about $500 million.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
-
What Senate Bill 3496 would create isn’t a one-time savings event but a durable, compounding mechanism for relief, a pipeline that expands every year as Medicare negotiates more drugs and Illinois extends those savings to everyone, not just seniors.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The complaint also claims that the image deceives customers into thinking Lipa has endorsed the product and dilutes her brand identity.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
-
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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Blue Water Bistro, nearer the sand, handles relaxed lunches and dinners with dishes such as lobster tail burger and seafood claypot.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
As Petruschin focuses on the show’s host, head makeup artist Natasha Marcelina handles the show’s roster of guests.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Aria even has a musical director, who arranges performances and special events and compiles soundtracks for individual stays.—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
4 June 2026
-
Residents Medical arranges rotations with careful attention to specialty alignment.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Several residents at the City Council meeting spoke in support of the program, including Steve Burrell, a community volunteer who often addresses the council on issues related to senior citizens and the unsheltered.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
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Critics of California’s voter ID initiative, including many legal scholars, say the ballot measure addresses a problem that does not exist.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Shakespeare’s comedies especially understand the joy of watching people get trapped in schemes and plots well beyond their control.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
Goldman here plots the earnings-revisions trend for 2027 among AI-infrastructure plays, energy companies, the overall S & P 500 and the rest of the S & P outside of AI and energy.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manipulates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulates. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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