as in deceptive
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Recent Examples of manipulative
In the complicated, thorny, offensive, manipulative, sometimes hilarious, sometimes uncomfortable video interview, which evokes the feeling of an uncle sitting down with his hardheaded nephew, Thug is reeling and full of so much anxiety that his legs are shaking.
—
Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2025
The group, which often included other members, had a dark, cult-like persona, with Vincent as the charismatic, manipulative leader.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, Cooke can be seen in The Girlfriend, a six-episode psychological thriller that stars Robin Wright as a mother whose life begins to unravel when her son (Laurie Davidson) brings home a manipulative new girlfriend (Cooke).
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
The complex portrayal wasn’t that far from Göring, who was the guy behind the guy atop the Nazi hierarchy who on the surface was a charming narcissist reputed to be a great dinner party guest, but was at heart a cunningly manipulative villain.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulative
Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2025
The group, which often included other members, had a dark, cult-like persona, with Vincent as the charismatic, manipulative leader.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, Cooke can be seen in The Girlfriend, a six-episode psychological thriller that stars Robin Wright as a mother whose life begins to unravel when her son (Laurie Davidson) brings home a manipulative new girlfriend (Cooke).
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
The complex portrayal wasn’t that far from Göring, who was the guy behind the guy atop the Nazi hierarchy who on the surface was a charming narcissist reputed to be a great dinner party guest, but was at heart a cunningly manipulative villain.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulative
Adjective
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Agencies would review requests, balancing innovation against risks such as economic harm or deceptive practices.—
Paulo Carvão,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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There will be a temptation because of his height to draw parallels with Moyes’ use of Marouane Fellaini and Soucek, two key pillars of his Everton and West Ham sides, but where Rohl is concerned, his size can be deceptive.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement In his first term, President Trump wasn’t happy with Pakistan and described its establishment as deceitful.—
Mohammed Hanif,
Time,
2 Sep. 2025
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Kelley allegedly sent deceitful emails to unwitting postal employees between 2019 and 2023, telling them to intercept packages that were determined to have been sent by victims of a Jamaican scam that targeted Americans.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Delegates and party leaders described it as a corrupt and hypocritical maneuver from the governor.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Meghan McCain, the conservative commentator and daughter of late Senator John McCain, faced immediate backlash after mocking Greta Thunberg's appearance, comparing the Swedish climate activist to Shrek villain Lord Farquaad in a post critics slammed as hypocritical.—
Emma Marsden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The central problem in American politics is not a matter of devious leaders, foreign intrigue or sectional rivalries — things that will always exist.—
Robert A. Strong,
The Conversation,
8 Sep. 2025
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Steller’s jays are more than a little bit devious, using their ability to mimic hawk calls to gain an advantage over a food source.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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On this occasion, Fernandez’s cross flies over Cucurella and straight into the thick of the action, where Joao Pedro’s cunning movement creates space to get his header away.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
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Bening will costar on the series as Beulah Jackson, who's described as the powerful, cunning, and charming head of a major ranch in Texas.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Their boss, the only one not carrying a blaster, pointed a long crooked finger at Rusty and all the Blasters were raised at Rusty in unison.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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For a Chicago Cubs lineup that has struggled lately to consistently score runs, let alone put up a crooked number, Friday’s opener against the Colorado Rockies provided the ideal bounce-back environment coming off the sweep in San Francisco.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The offense never got on track, and the disappointment was only intensified when it was discovered that Houston used underhanded tactics to gain an advantage on opponents that season.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
17 Aug. 2025
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Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation As the new Undisputed WWE Champion, Cena has embraced his villainous side, retaining his title against stars like Randy Orton by using cheap shots and underhanded tactics.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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That would be Mark Rylance as Henry’s lord privy seal, Thomas Cromwell, an endlessly fascinating and ambiguous figure—brilliant, scheming, moral—whom Rylance animates with gravity and kaleidoscopic skill.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2025
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The doors that slam, as farcical doors are built to do, open to work spaces, where a good deal of time is spent scheming and counter-scheming.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manipulative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulative. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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