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
-
Through the integration with Tactical Assault Kit software, the team remotely controlled multiple unmanned ground and surface units across a large, 50-square-mile operational area.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Staff shortages have led to flow control programs to keep flights safe in other areas, too, like the airspace controlled by Jacksonville Center.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
One of them calls out the district for gross negligence for how the situation was handled.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
King handled the situation well, but even such a pro couldn't help but crack a smile at that remark.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Freedom from fear mattered because frightened societies are easily manipulated.—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
-
In some cases, CBS News ran images through AI detection tools, which can be inconsistent or inaccurate but can still help flag possibly manipulated content.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Samsung addressed these issues early in development by redesigning the sensor structure.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Earlier this week, Risch spoke with Boise’s KIVI-TV Channel 6, and briefly addressed the matter.—
Kevin Fixler
January 10,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Reyes defended the compensation, saying it was negotiated in good faith.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The Cheaters deal was negotiated by David Buoymaster on behalf of Radial Entertainment, with Matthew Helderman advising Goldstein Pictures Corporation.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Taking calcium and vitamin D together is generally safe and helps support bone health when supervised by a doctor.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Health,
9 Jan. 2026
-
He will be supervised for five years, in line with his six-year 2023 sentence.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There’s a kind of social contract under which utilities operate essentially as monopolies to provide a public service and in exchange are regulated.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The devices measure pollutants regulated by the EPA, including nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulate matter from sources like gas turbines, factories and heavy traffic.—
Jack Armstrong,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Döpfner nearly bought the FT in 2015, before losing it to Nikkei, and took a controlling stake in Business Insider — at the top of the new media market — for $343 million.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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With the win, Southern Miss (7-2, 5-0) took sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt Conference West Division standings.—
Michael Harley,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Micromanaged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaged. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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