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
Relevance
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
Since high-frequency acoustic oscillations can also be used to manipulate quantum states, phonon lasers could be deployed to study them in greater detail and open avenues for future quantum sensing and quantum computing.
—
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
The Iranian regime's current ability to easily manipulate American audiences is only part of the broader toxicity and growing societal harm from social media platforms that remain largely unregulated.
—Steven Stalinsky, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Is Alex looking for a way to manipulate things so that there’s an outcome it was tasked with solving?
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 30 Mar. 2026
Season 2 introduced an AI-powered quantum computer named Alex with the ability to manipulate time.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
The Iranian regime's current ability to easily manipulate American audiences is only part of the broader toxicity and growing societal harm from social media platforms that remain largely unregulated.
—Steven Stalinsky, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Is Alex looking for a way to manipulate things so that there’s an outcome it was tasked with solving?
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 30 Mar. 2026
Season 2 introduced an AI-powered quantum computer named Alex with the ability to manipulate time.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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The show mostly avoids the politics that swirl around the design business, especially these days when critics are obsessed with the environmental evils of fast fashion and the shortcomings of an industry known to exploit labor around the globe.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
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Nevertheless, rumors about Altman’s personal life have been exploited and distorted by competitors.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This begs the question as to how Woodland, who qualified for The Masters by winning in Houston, will be able to manage his PTSD this week during one of golf’s elite events.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
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Any tweaks would lie solely with the software that manages the engines, given engine hardware is locked in until 2027 under F1’s homologation rules.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At the time, Epstein was serving his 18-month sentence in the Palm Beach County stockade but was allowed to spend 12 hours a day, six days a week, in his office under a work-release program his attorneys had negotiated.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
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Spice levels are negotiated with shorthand, on a scale from one to five.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Memento has withstood the test of time, thanks to memorable performances, intricately layered storytelling, and what the film ultimately reveals about our all-too-human willingness to deceive ourselves in order to escape unpleasant truths.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 Apr. 2026
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Through the window, the lack of visible trees suggested a barren landscape, but looks are deceiving.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Animal Control contracts an outside vendor, PetData, to handle licensing on its behalf.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
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This adult needs to be treated like one that can handle her own problems.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rx bars were fanned out on a silver platter, Lean Body shakes dotted the table, cups of Chobani were arranged in a pyramid.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
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Hence the social contract on which proto-citizens situated behind the veil of ignorance would agree, arranges social and economic inequalities in such a manner as to make the worst off as well off as possible; economic policies would benefit the well-being of the least advantaged.—
George G. Szpiro,
Big Think,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Interfaith Advisory Commission would help to coordinate religious services, address the needs of at-risk communities, and provide a platform for education and awareness on integrating different traditions.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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East Sacramento Partnerships for a Livable City sued Sacramento after the council approved the McKinley Village project, alleging city officials violated CEQA by failing to disclose and make efforts to address air quality, public health, traffic, and other issues.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Those claims alleged that companies had engineered products to be more addictive; for example, by adding chemicals to speed and intensify nicotine delivery to the brain and to ease inhalation, so that smokers would become unable to quit.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
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What was more of a challenge than engineering the chip itself was figuring out the details of actually making the chip project images and videos.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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