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
You can’t be truly trusted if you are being micromanaged or scared to make a mistake.
—
Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanaged
Verb
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Israel, meanwhile, saw Nasser’s rising influence across the Arab world as a danger, and wanted an excuse to cut him down, and to target Palestinian fedayeen militants who were operating in Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula, which were both controlled by Egypt at the time.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Instead of pushing from a single point, assistance is distributed through the stride, making movement feel more stable and controlled.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The construction was even handled by the fourth-generation Obayashi family, the same company who built the original structure nearly 90 years ago.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
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One probe into Rabell’s welfare was handled by the adult protection program.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The examples provided in the letter of events that could be easily manipulated by a single person included whether a kicker would miss a field goal, a quarterback’s first pass being incomplete or a receiver missing their first target.—
Jessica Golden,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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All the components of Ursa’s dishes are foraged or harvested in the desert and manipulated in surprising and experimental ways.—
John Leos,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Roan addressed the incident in an Instagram Story and criticized the security guard.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
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Roan also pushed back against the part of the athlete’s statement that addressed her directly.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Verve Talent and Literary Agency’s Amy Beecroft negotiated the deal on behalf of Hideout with Vertical’s Tony Piantedosion.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
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As someone whose boundaries could be negotiated away.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The drones then fly themselves to the location of a call, and are supervised by a drone operator.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has driven a tank during army training supervised by her father, the pair’s latest joint public appearance fueling outside speculation that the girl is being groomed as Kim’s heir.—
Hyung-Jin Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This indicates that the state is homeostatically regulated — meaning their bodies need it.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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Discharges by wastewater treatment plans are regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which sets temperature and water quality standards.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bondi took her marching orders and launched investigations of those the president named.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
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Idaho State troopers, who handle law enforcement duties at the Capitol, took the nine protesters into custody.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaged. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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