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
But jurors were told their relationship quickly soured, with Fahim apparently frustrated at the level of work that Cuomo was assigning him and complaining that he was being micromanaged.
—
Sean Emery, Oc Register, 7 May 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, 18 Apr. 2026
As the clock counts down to Rachel and Nicky’s wedding, which is being micromanaged by Nicky’s sister Portia (Gus Birney), the Cunningham family reveals a few secrets of their own.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2026
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
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
Sean Emery, Oc Register, 7 May 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, 18 Apr. 2026
As the clock counts down to Rachel and Nicky’s wedding, which is being micromanaged by Nicky’s sister Portia (Gus Birney), the Cunningham family reveals a few secrets of their own.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2026
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
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
-
Instead of everything being controlled through a single touch-screen, dedicated physical controls and circuits would allow easier servicing of individual components.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Altman and Brockman say OpenAI is still controlled by a nonprofit foundation, despite having a for-profit arm with outside investors.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Every core operation on Liners, from adding a new product to reviewing quality, to pulling in news and handling comparisons, is handled by a team of nine AI agents.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
The series recreates ordinary Soviet life from the period with painstaking detail and spares no one and nothing in its criticisms of what led to the disaster and how it was handled.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Defense attorneys argued at trial that the investigation into the assassination was a mess and that the four were manipulated into taking blame for an internal coup.—
David Fischer,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
-
These were teenagers, and they were manipulated.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The email, addressed to the entire board, announced a December special meeting to vote on a tax increase.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Jean Unger, who attended the march last June, addressed the court during Thursday's hearing.—
Sarah Horbacewicz,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The deal was negotiated by Range Select.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
Epps is repped by UTA, producing partner Niles Kirchner, IAG for stand-up who negotiated this deal, and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit claims that Santana was the lead detective assigned to the case, while Smith was the sergeant who supervised the investigative team.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
Del Toro personally supervised every stage of the new restoration from the original 35mm negative.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
At the Yamada house, TV access was regulated and studying was emphasized, but free play was routine.—
Andre Mouchard,
Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Airbnb, which is best known for its short-term home rentals, has begun offering rooms at boutique hotels in markets where short-term rentals are tightly regulated.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Longoria took a more casual approach with her look, but the crisp shade made the outfit appear put-together.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
-
The controversy also took a turn after the discovery of a March 2026 interview with outlet El Nuevo Día in which Díaz openly discussed his family’s involvement in the underground circuit.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaged. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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