1
as in to exploit
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
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2
as in to manage
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 to negotiate
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
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Recent Examples of manipulate
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
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
Some countries manipulate taxes or regulations in ways that disadvantage American workers and businesses.
—Richard W. Rahn, Fortune, 27 May 2026
This practice offers writers a choice either to follow generic conventions or manipulate them for various aesthetic and thematic reasons.
—Tham Thi Nguyen, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 28 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
Some countries manipulate taxes or regulations in ways that disadvantage American workers and businesses.
—Richard W. Rahn, Fortune, 27 May 2026
This practice offers writers a choice either to follow generic conventions or manipulate them for various aesthetic and thematic reasons.
—Tham Thi Nguyen, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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Fragmented oversight creates opportunities for dishonest actors to exploit the gaps.—
Sally Pipes,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Calif says a small team of researchers used a preview version of Anthropic's Claude Mythos to help build a working macOS kernel exploit against Apple's new M5 chip protections in less than a week.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Our mother, who had annoyed me deeply throughout most of my life, managed something so heroic that there should have been songs written about her to be sung around campfires by Girl Scouts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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With over 60% of its power needs met by nuclear power, France is particularly well-placed to manage such an energy-intensive project at a time when Europe is grappling with some of the highest industrial electricity prices among major economies.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The decision to close the location comes after negotiating for months upon the urging of the city of Dallas and local leaders to work out an arrangement for how the store could keep operating.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
2 June 2026
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But Qatar appears to be more flexible, with a top official saying on Sunday that the country would be willing to negotiate on fees collected for mine clearance or other short-term activities.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said during a news conference that the company suppressed internal safety warnings and deceived users about the true nature and dangers of the product.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
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Yet while Hiller has been seemingly everywhere on TV lately, appearances in this industry can be deceiving.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Several consolidation docks between the inbound and outbound sides of the building will handle vendor shipments.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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Ranging from physical and occupational therapists to medical technologists, these workers handle all of the support services needed to carry out the wide range of health care activities that doctors order and oversee.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Police in Las Vegas arranged for him to be arrested and then extradited to California, Clark said.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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Nearby, the Rum Vault is a small room stashed with bottles and bottles of the spirit, arranged like a library according to the producing region.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Despite undergoing surgery last week to address a broken pinky finger, New York center Mitchell Robinson will play in Game 1 tonight, the team told reporters.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
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Ohtani was back to a full starter’s workload for the first time since 2023, even mentioning fatigue in his postgame interview after his second start of the season, and before games was working to address his offensive struggles.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Higginbotham is a native of Hoover, Alabama, and is majoring in biosystems engineering at Auburn, according to the university and Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis.—
Anthony Trotter,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
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According to the official announcement from Nevada’s Clark County, the job necessitated a small army of volunteers and community partners using a design envisioned by engineering students at Las Vegas’ West Career & Technical Academy.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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