MANIPULATIVE Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

manipulative

adjective

Definition of manipulative

as in deceptive

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 manipulative Their cute, elderly golden retriever, Cassie, is used for such baldly emotionally manipulative ends. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 The series follows James (Jimmi Simpson), an ex-firefighter who teams up with a shady magician named Paul (Damon Herriman) to steal money from Paul’s father, a manipulative pastor played by Ben Kingsley. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026 This manipulative phrase is meant to trivialize your feelings. — Sabrina Romanoff, CNBC, 30 July 2026 Elsewhere, Naëmi Ada will screen Body of Glass, the tale of a young dancer who lives a parallel life after a violent incident with her manipulative partner. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for manipulative

Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulative

Adjective

Meta will be subject to an injunction prohibiting it from making further false, misleading, or deceptive statements around its safety features.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
The agency has said deceptive or unfair data practices can violate existing consumer protection laws.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of deceptive

Adjective

Bogus texts, mystery calls, deceitful emails all aimed at stealing your personal information and your money are relentless.

— Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
The mutual trust and goodwill that xenia sought to cultivate has been eroded by this one deceitful act, creating a world that is defined by this moral violation.

— Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 19 July 2026

Definition of deceitful

Adjective

There is something deeply hypocritical about discovering and using the language of women’s liberation only when your own status, reputation, or income is at stake.

— Laura Jung, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026
That some people in these industries, including those who are well paid, would look at our economy and seek out other ways of doing things is neither hypocritical nor surprising.

— Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of hypocritical

Adjective

This week’s run of shows and movies include a grisly House of the Dragon finale, an exciting new horror from Jane Schoenbrun, a rom-com with a devious catch, and the return of Ted Lasso.

— Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
The plot involves two sons of rich, miserly fathers in love with girls their fathers will never approve of and what happens when the fathers’ devious servants decide to give the boys a hand.

— Lonnie Burstein Hewitt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026

Definition of devious

Adjective

Supporters of the administration view this back and forth as a cunning ploy to buy time for the United States to position itself more advantageously for a confrontation.

— Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
Owen is bamboozled by a cunning opportunist, handcuffed, and robbed in his underwear.

— Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of cunning

Adjective

Cowin soon shifted to straighter technical methods applied to crooked storylines.

— Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
In addition, there are crooked cops on the inside trying to spring El Chapo, so the arresting officers need to quickly figure out who to trust.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of crooked

Adjective

As Cronenworth beat Ashby to first base by a few inches, beating Bauer’s underhanded toss and keeping the inning alive, Tatis alertly scored the tying run.

— Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
The most common theory is that someone, and probably someone rich, seeks to improve their view of the lake in a monstrous and underhanded fashion, leaving both the trees and the town’s beach-goers as collective victims.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of underhanded

Adjective

Meanwhile, the palace has been besieged by loutish suitors, led by the scheming Antinous (Robert Pattinson), all of them vying for the queen’s hand in remarriage and mooching off the absent king’s food and wine.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
The show gestures at the classic targets of old-timey sexism, small-mindedness, and nativism—much of it embodied by Gasteyer’s scheming character—but only in the safest possible ways.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026

Definition of scheming

Browse Nearby Words

manipulations

manipulative

mankind

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Manipulative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulative. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of manipulative

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

illustrious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes