1
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
2
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
3
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
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 manipulating
There was the patriarch, Abbas Khan, prowling through the pages, making real-estate deals, manipulating people.
—
Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Full-palm tactile sensing allows the robot to continue manipulating objects even when cameras are obstructed or when precise force control is required, such as in assembly tasks.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Orban started manipulating these grievances, and did so to significantly divide Hungarian society.
—John Shattuck, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026
For years, firms like Kpler have flagged thousands of instances of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf manipulating onboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals — the system used to track vessels in transit — to evade sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
—Matthew Chin, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
One of her alternate personalities — the cold and calculating Samantha — joins law enforcement to pursue her father’s killers, while other identities begin to surface with their own motives, seducing and manipulating powerful men as Sylvia’s search for justice veers into vengeance.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Adrian Maclean, 52, of Lisbon was arrested twice in connection with an embezzlement scheme police say involved manipulating records in the Hebron Tax Collector’s Office, according to Connecticut State Police.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2026
In November, two MLB players pleaded not guilty after being indicted for manipulating pitches to help bettors.
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
The large gap between the hard palate and cheek teeth acts as a pocket for holding food items while browsing, and for manipulating cud.
—Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Full-palm tactile sensing allows the robot to continue manipulating objects even when cameras are obstructed or when precise force control is required, such as in assembly tasks.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Orban started manipulating these grievances, and did so to significantly divide Hungarian society.
—John Shattuck, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026
For years, firms like Kpler have flagged thousands of instances of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf manipulating onboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals — the system used to track vessels in transit — to evade sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
—Matthew Chin, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
One of her alternate personalities — the cold and calculating Samantha — joins law enforcement to pursue her father’s killers, while other identities begin to surface with their own motives, seducing and manipulating powerful men as Sylvia’s search for justice veers into vengeance.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Adrian Maclean, 52, of Lisbon was arrested twice in connection with an embezzlement scheme police say involved manipulating records in the Hebron Tax Collector’s Office, according to Connecticut State Police.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2026
In November, two MLB players pleaded not guilty after being indicted for manipulating pitches to help bettors.
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
The large gap between the hard palate and cheek teeth acts as a pocket for holding food items while browsing, and for manipulating cud.
—Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulating
Verb
-
Somewhere along the way, these schemes stopped rewarding loyalty and started exploiting it.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
-
This heinous incident appears to be a deliberate act intended to punish the victim by exploiting her love for her pet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Philadelphia finished with 15 total shots after managing just two in the first half.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Apr. 2026
-
When present at high levels in the blood, these fats can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease, so managing them is important.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Iran’s negotiating team, chaired by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and includes Foreign Minister Abbas Arghchi, met late Friday with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The administration has already spent at least $40 million to deport roughly 300 migrants through such deals and is negotiating with 47 countries to expand the program further.—
Gerald Imray,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Through the window, the lack of visible trees suggested a barren landscape, but looks are deceiving.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The specifications on the Neo can be deceiving.—
Dwight Silverman,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The District Court judge handling the case in California, Biden appointee Rita Lin, described the Anthropic blacklisting as retaliation that violates the First Amendment.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Experts say household robots still face hurdles, including cluttered environments, varied lighting, and handling soft objects.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But many booth owners take great care on their displays and spend their free time arranging their wares just so.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Long before Manhattan's iconic street grid took shape, an English widow laid the groundwork for a settlement in Brooklyn, arranging a small village in what would become the United States into one of the first grid patterns.—
Hannah Kliger,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In recent weeks, Orbán has focused on addressing fears of an energy price shock, stemming from the war in Iran.—
Domi Suskova,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
-
In response, the Fashion Institute of Technology has partnered with Nordstrom to create a training program aimed at addressing the shortage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One tells a story of an A-list actress, aided by some of the biggest celebrities in the world who include husband Ryan Reynolds and friend Taylor Swift, plotting to seize control of a director’s passion project.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The vote and its aftermath – which included a January 6-style riot at the national capital complex in Brasilia – ended with Bolsonaro sentenced to over 27 years in prison, convicted with numerous other officials of plotting a self-coup.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manipulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulating. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
