Synonyms of manipulates

manipulates

verb

present tense third-person singular of manipulate

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

• exploits
• deceives
• plays (upon)
• maneuvers
• tricks
• deludes
• engineers
• arranges
• devises
• hoodwinks
• plots
• intrigues
• schemes
• fools
• dupes
• defrauds
• beguiles
• finagles
• kids
• contrives
• cheats
• jockeys
• bluffs
• gulls
• swindles
• finesses
• takes in
• snows
• masterminds
• cozens
• hoaxes
• shanghais
• hustles
• cons
• chisels
• fleeces
• machinates

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

• manages
• handles
• addresses
• takes
• negotiates
• treats
• plays
• maneuvers
• swings
• fields
• contends (with)
• pulls
• hacks
• comes to grips with
• controls
• regulates
• has a grip on
• directs
• copes (with)
• grapples (with)
• engineers
• steers
• guides
• carries out
• finesses
• gets off
• commands
• micromanages
• reacts (to)
• responds (to)
• runs
• brings off
• jockeys
• carries off

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• mishandles
• fumbles
• botches
• bungles
• messes (up)
• goofs (up)
• muffs
• scamps
• louses up
• foozles

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

• negotiates
• arranges
• plots
• engineers
• manages
• contrives
• maneuvers
• finesses
• concludes
• finagles
• wangles
• frames
• masterminds
• conducts
• machinates
• schemes
• directs
• concocts
• connives
• works out
• intrigues
• handles
• concerts
• hammers out
• hatches
• angles (for)
• cooks (up)
• commands
• brews
• runs
• compasses
• captains
• quarterbacks
• gerrymanders

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• mangles
• blows
• mishandles
• fumbles
• botches
• bungles
• messes (up)
• butchers
• flubs
• gums (up)
• bobbles
• muffs
• louses up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of manipulates

Okorie is the best driving guard in the class, a 6-1 jitterbug who manipulates defenders with a tight handle, sudden changes of speed, and an advanced feel for the game. — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 16 June 2026

Facial massage manipulates big muscles in the face, such as the masseters, temporalis and platysma, as well as fascia. — Lauren Finney Harden, AJC.com, 10 June 2026

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