as in controlled
chiefly US
to try to oversee all the small parts of (something, such as an activity) in a way that is usually not wanted or that causes problems
He micromanaged every detail of the budget.
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Recent Examples of micromanaged
What once was an obstacle to allowing others to help, has come under new management, finally allowing the rest of the family to jump in on the action without fear of being micromanaged.
—
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Allen even complained that he was being micromanaged about a week before the Tamarac murders.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
Workers who are micromanaged report nearly double the stress compared with non-micromanaged workers, according to the 2023 Work in America Survey.
—Julia Sullivan, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
Their words painted a portrait of someone who micromanaged, monopolized the spotlight and rarely recognized individual contributions.
—Bill Koch, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2025
Allen even complained that he was being micromanaged about a week before the Tamarac murders.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
Workers who are micromanaged report nearly double the stress compared with non-micromanaged workers, according to the 2023 Work in America Survey.
—Julia Sullivan, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
Their words painted a portrait of someone who micromanaged, monopolized the spotlight and rarely recognized individual contributions.
—Bill Koch, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanaged
Verb
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The exceptions would be Florida and Texas, where Republicans have controlled the state legislatures for decades.—
Hansi Lo Wang,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2026
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But if the rate of growth in broad money is controlled, then higher spending on oil and gasoline will be offset by lower spending on other items, restraining overall inflation.—
Steve H. Hanke,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What gave the session its edge, however, was the way Ávalos handled the room.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
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Getting individuals to step back and reimagine those processes to be end-to-end automated or handled by agents requires intentional cultural transformation.—
Ruba Borno,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Easter changes date every year, and the blooms on sale are carefully manipulated to bloom on time.—
Becky Wern,
Florida Times-Union,
7 Mar. 2026
-
In the lab setting, various atmospheric variables can be precisely manipulated to closely understand the phenomenon.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Without proper circulation, any water from leaks or condensation just linger, and if it’s not addressed—which is often the case in a space like the basement—then mold and mildew forms.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
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More than a dozen Democratic senators are demanding answers from the Department of the Interior about the removal of signs across national parks—displays that addressed topics including slavery, Native American history, and climate change.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The county’s risk-assessment attorneys had negotiated a settlement for about $6 million that would have resolved all of the cases, but the Board of Supervisors rejected it in August 2021 and hired Sheppard-Mullin to defend the county.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The deal was negotiated between Frank Jaffe from Altered Innocence and Monica Ciarli from Minerva Pictures.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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All schools will be open, breakfast and lunch will be provided, and all students will be properly supervised.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Mojtaba Khamenei was selected by Iran's Assembly of Experts, comprised of 88 clerics and supervised by the 12-member Guardian Council, which acts as a watchdog for Iran's constitution.—
Claire Day,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But defense is heavily regulated by international humanitarian law and weapons testing standards, which in theory should also address the use of artificial intelligence.—
Parmy Olson,
Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2026
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Electricity supplies are mostly regulated at the state level and managed across regions, using market structures that vary across the country.—
Josh Boak,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Unable to ramp up through the first month of spring training because of lingering shoulder soreness, Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell took a step toward readiness Thursday, throwing his first bullpen session.—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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The Jayhawks started this game on a 9-0 run, but TCU quickly caught up and took control, particularly with KU’s Bidunga in foul trouble.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaged. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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