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
-
In June 2025, EOS demonstrated the destruction of a tank using a Rodeur 330 fitted with an inert warhead, controlled via FPV.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Unlike autonomous cars which operate on public roads and uncontrolled environments, agriculture occurs on private land where everything is more controlled, which minimizes regulatory hurdles and potential for accidents.—
Sabbir Rangwala,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
An entire population can be handled.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Items should be handled once (think hung, shelved, or stored) rather than set down temporarily.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Higgins stole $356,181 through the scheme and reportedly manipulated the company’s accounting records to conceal her crimes, according to court records.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
24 Jan. 2026
-
In the alternative hypothesis, the lottery was somehow manipulated.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Late season demand was addressed through DTC retail and online channels, enabling DTC revenue up 5 percent and a wholesale revenue gain of 4 percent, both compared to year-ago levels.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
There were quite a few questions that weren’t addressed on stage but surfaced in many off-stage conversations.—
Mark Minevich,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Last year, Canada signed a defense cooperation agreement with the European Union and negotiated a pact that allowed Canadian defense firms to tap into the EU’s $170 billion loan program meant to spur military modernization.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Rather than raze the city days before it was recovered by the Allied forces, Choltitz went rogue, negotiated a truce, and surrendered the city.—
Sally Susman,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Nuro's validation process combines simulation, closed-course testing and supervised on-road driving.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Standard therapeutic doses are typically used for managing Type 2 diabetes or medically supervised weight losses, and generally starts at a higher dose that gradually increases over time.—
Zoe Weiner,
Flow Space,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Kratom products are not regulated and have more than 50 biologically active compounds in it.—
Gary Kirkilas II,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
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Currently, prediction markets are regulated only by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), an agency established more than 50 years ago to oversee and prevent fraud in derivatives.—
A.J. Perez,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Anne-Sofie Madsen took winter footwear in a distinctly subversive direction, collaborating with Ugg on spiky, clawed variations of its classic boot.—
Amy O’Brien,
Vogue,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Two days after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota reportedly tackled a home caregiver from sub-Saharan Africa to the snowy pavement and took her away in a van, a close friend made the 1,400-mile journey to a controversial Texas detention facility where she’s being held.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaged. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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