as in to control
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of micromanage
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
Senate Bill 199 drew criticism and accusations of micromanaging universities.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Aster didn’t micromanage as Tracy labored over the script and suffered a bout of COVID during lockdown.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2026
Iskander encourages shedding the urge to micromanage outcomes and instead embracing surrender.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for micromanage
Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2026
Senate Bill 199 drew criticism and accusations of micromanaging universities.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Aster didn’t micromanage as Tracy labored over the script and suffered a bout of COVID during lockdown.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2026
Iskander encourages shedding the urge to micromanage outcomes and instead embracing surrender.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for micromanage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanage
Verb
-
Organic pesticides can still have environmental impacts because they are designed to control living organisms.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But the website isn’t full of articles about how the earth is flat or how aliens are controlling our government.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As part of the Waldorf’s rebirth, the French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon handled the hotel’s interiors, furniture, and amenities.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Pawel Chudzicki, whose law firm handled the licenses for Global Risk, told me that the State Department had conducted an inquiry in response to the Associated Press article and identified no violations of the law.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Be careful not to let someone else manipulate you or use guilt or jealousy as a technique.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
-
During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim’s underwear and grazed her genitals.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Why is Trump addressing the nation?—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Other books can be more subtly welcoming in their design or content, allowing characters to address the reader directly, or giving readers a mystery or puzzle to solve.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But stocks were buoyed by reports that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was willing to negotiate.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
There were no mass demonstrations by the Iranian people against the regime, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continued to fight even more ferociously, and Khamenei’s death did nothing to bring Iran’s negotiating position onto a more reasonable plane.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
While the mayor campaigned on educating kids as young as 6 weeks, his plans so far have started with 2-year-old children, who are typically less complicated — and costly — to supervise than infants.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Colorado argued that states have the right to regulate the medical industry as a means of promoting consumer health and safety.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Citing a surge in reckless riding and pedestrian close-calls, some South Florida municipalities are launching safety campaigns or passing ordinances to regulate e-bikes on neighborhood streets and sidewalks.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
He was never accused of any wrongdoing, and a House Ethics Committee investigation opened in 2021 was closed two years later without any action taken.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi Even if not a huge art buff, take the five minutes to wander to the Contarelli chapel inside this small catholic church which is just a short stroll from the Pantheon.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanage. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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