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
In June, an expert advisory panel of the American Psychological Association published a report examining how AI affects adolescent well-being, and called on developers to prioritize features that help protect young people from being exploited and manipulated by these tools.
—
Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 June 2025
Christopher Morano, who previously served as Connecticut’s chief state’s attorney, said the tenor of Dayton’s remarks is likely to catch the attention of the six other campaign workers, city council members and party officials who have been accused of manipulating the absentee voting process.
—Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2025
May 9, 2024 Gary Usher, a songwriter who worked with Landy, told state investigators that Wilson was a virtual captive, manipulated by a man who frightened and intimidated him.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
That included digital replicas of performers’ voices that could be reused or manipulated by the companies for further vocal performances.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 June 2025
Christopher Morano, who previously served as Connecticut’s chief state’s attorney, said the tenor of Dayton’s remarks is likely to catch the attention of the six other campaign workers, city council members and party officials who have been accused of manipulating the absentee voting process.
—Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2025
May 9, 2024 Gary Usher, a songwriter who worked with Landy, told state investigators that Wilson was a virtual captive, manipulated by a man who frightened and intimidated him.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
That included digital replicas of performers’ voices that could be reused or manipulated by the companies for further vocal performances.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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This hypothetical No 9 would push opposition back lines towards their own goal, giving further space for Fernandes and other team-mates to exploit.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
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The farmer may lack the experience and capital, or otherwise, to exploit that potential commercial use.—
Peter J Reilly,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Verb
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And, roughly 20 years ago, a team managed to find the right deletion to enable a female mouse to give birth to offspring that received a set of chromosomes from each of two unfertilized eggs.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2025
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Your doctor may also run tests to look for an underlying condition like PCOS, a thyroid abnormality, or endometriosis that may need to be treated or managed with, potentially, medications or surgery.—
Julia Ries,
SELF,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Authorities spent hours trying to negotiate a peaceful surrender, police said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
18 June 2025
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The Englishman is represented by his mother Marcia Lewis, who negotiated the deal with Arsenal.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Notably, 40 percent acknowledged faking activity to deceive monitoring systems, suggesting a struggle to maintain consistent performance outside traditional office settings.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 June 2025
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So there’s an interesting, dark comedy element to people that are deceiving themselves.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
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His approval on handling inflation and the cost of living has also fallen by nearly 6 points in the same period.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
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From floral arrangements to first dances, every detail matters—and at Walters Wedding Estates, every detail is handled with care, transparency, and a passion for making those dreams come true.—
Rhiannon Frater,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Attentive staffers will be on hand for towel drops and spritz refills, as well as to help arrange water sports or beach games.—
Cameron Sperance,
Travel + Leisure,
20 June 2025
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Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter has rushed to arrange a commission vote, ratifying it.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2025
Verb
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This offseason, the Giants addressed the QB position in a major way.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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Additionally, Western governments should address their relationship to the ongoing atrocities in the Uyghur Region and the deepening reliance on the PRC’s dominance of the critical minerals supply chain with immediate and decisive action.—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Verb
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On that basis, when prices rise, the central bank attempts to slow the economy or even engineer a recession.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
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The report points to Anthropic’s Claude 4 models, released just last month, which the company said might be capable of helping would-be terrorists create bioweapons or engineer a pandemic.—
Harry Booth,
Time,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.
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