MANIPULATING Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

manipulating

verb

present participle of manipulate

as in exploiting

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

as in managing

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

as in negotiating

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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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 manipulating Like Muir, Lustmord’s Brian Williams creates harrowing, light-devouring music by digitally manipulating a vast library of sounds he’s collected via sampling and field recording. —

Brad Sanders, Pitchfork, 8 June 2026 The ever-expanding, replicating, and manipulating series of rooms take scraps and memories of those who pass through it, expanding into something that defies personality or ease. —

Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 June 2026 Uribe sued Cepeda for allegedly manipulating witnesses, but the Supreme Court cleared Cepeda of wrongdoing. —

Chad De Guzman, Time, 1 June 2026 Even as topics of AI creation loom, Oakey sees potential in manipulating technology all over again and seeing what results this time around. —

Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 28 May 2026 Unlike vision-only systems, Atlas relies heavily on proprioception—internal sensing of body position, load, balance, grip, and resistance—while manipulating objects. —

Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 May 2026 The Zapatistas, considered the first informational guerrilla movement, used hacktivism, or manipulating computer systems or networks to promote a political ideology or social change. —

Paulo Nuno Vicenteall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026 Consider, too, relatively new forms of trickery, such as manipulating substitution procedures or spying on rivals. —

Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026 The malevolent Sidious put Maul through the wringer, torturing and manipulating him on his path to becoming a fearsome Sith Lord. —

Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 19 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulating

Verb

Dynamic pricing is simply an algorithm created to achieve that by exploiting market power.

— Stefan Szymanski, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Negative online actors and some local politicians were exploiting the tragedy to incite violence and seed division, Belfast lawmaker, Claire Hanna, told BBC’s Newsnight.

— Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 9 June 2026