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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manipulate
Indigenous communities such as the Pueblo and Navajo were manipulating cotton fibers long before colonizers laid claim to their lands.
—
Cierra Black, Essence, 9 July 2025
On the other hand, Lex Luthor creates an intra-dimensional pocket universe to jail his ex-girlfriends and manipulates public opinion with an army of enslaved monkeys who blast anti-Superman propaganda onto social media.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
If that data is biased, flawed or maliciously manipulated, the models will faithfully reproduce those distortions at scale—often without obvious warning.
—Wendy Chin, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
The legislation was driven by concerns that the Chinese government could manipulate content and access sensitive data from American users.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Cierra Black, Essence, 9 July 2025
On the other hand, Lex Luthor creates an intra-dimensional pocket universe to jail his ex-girlfriends and manipulates public opinion with an army of enslaved monkeys who blast anti-Superman propaganda onto social media.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
If that data is biased, flawed or maliciously manipulated, the models will faithfully reproduce those distortions at scale—often without obvious warning.
—Wendy Chin, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
The legislation was driven by concerns that the Chinese government could manipulate content and access sensitive data from American users.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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Given that many forms of manufacturing are labor-intensive, any country where the cost of labor is lower than the cost in the U.S. can exploit such an opportunity.—
Sheldon H. Jacobson,
Chicago Tribune,
22 July 2025
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Lunn promised to provide low-cost necessities—groceries, coal, and ice for the pre-electric era iceboxes—by starting city-run businesses to compete with private merchants who exploited their poor customers.—
Time,
Time,
22 July 2025
Verb
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However, one of her bridesmaids managed to save the day.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
15 July 2025
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The same cut also manages to lead all of the following half-dozen genre-specific lists: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs, R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales, Hot Rap Songs, Rap Streaming Songs, and the Rap Digital Song Sales rankings.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
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It is not lost on Villa observers that shortly after Ronaldo signed a new contract at Al Nassr, Duran had negotiated a temporary move elsewhere.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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Instead, there’s more public bickering and negotiating.—
Matt Hayes,
The Tennessean,
11 July 2025
Verb
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More than 20 children are in the custody of a Southern California child-welfare agency as authorities investigate allegations of child abuse and whether surrogate mothers were deceived by a Los Angeles-area couple.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
17 July 2025
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And then he was wishy-washy, went back and forth, and she was deceived and disappointed by him.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Today’s chatbots, in contrast, can engage in meaningful, multi-turn conversations—answering complex questions, handling follow-ups, and even escalating issues when necessary.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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All consular and diplomatic affairs related to the country are instead handled through the Indian Embassy in Djibouti, across the Red Sea.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Horowitz spent decades arranging for Sondheim’s archives to come to the Library of Congress.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
13 July 2025
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The controversy comes at a time the United States is trying to arrange a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Verb
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An inspector identified seven violations on July 8 and gave Ali until Aug. 12 to address them, according to city records.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
22 July 2025
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The role will be recast for the new DC Universe. DC Studios co-head James Gunn recently addressed speculation that the film was being fast-tracked.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
21 July 2025
Verb
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It’s engineered for high-performance boating, combining lightweight carbon fiber construction with advanced infusion and vacuum bagging techniques.—
Katia Damborsky,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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Inspired by Soap Box Derby races, they were engineered simply so families could assemble them at home for kids to learn to sail.—
Katie Strasberg Rousso,
Southern Living,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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