MICROMANAGING Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

micromanaging

verb

present participle of micromanage

as in controlling

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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of micromanaging My amendment accomplishes this goal simply by granting an antitrust exemption so that college athletes and schools can make their own deals, without unelected judges or politicians micromanaging every detail of compensation and eligibility. — Sen. Rand Paul Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Avoid micromanaging; instead, delegate tasks, show confidence in others, and encourage them to do their best. — Terri Eagle, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 The document itself is an odd grab-bag of micromanaging grant processes, assertion of presidential power, and airing of cultural grievances. — ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026 Hollywood became Hollywood long before Sacramento began micromanaging economic development. — Will Swaim, Oc Register, 13 May 2026 And while Meta’s future looks more uncertain than ever, Zuckerberg has turned his attention towards building a photorealistic AI clone of himself to make his micromanaging presence omnipresent throughout the company. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 May 2026 Fahim, a financial analyst, was reportedly frustrated by the amount of work Cuomo would assign him, and had claimed Cuomo was micromanaging him. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 Instead, Putin spends more time in underground bunkers micromanaging his war, paranoid about a coup or an assassination attempt by Ukrainian drones, sources told the Financial Times. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 May 2026 That didn’t appear to be the case in this instance; this was personal animosity—a secretary who was micromanaging personnel decisions in the Army, looking to put his own stamp on that service. — Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanaging

Verb

Jacob Adams often had trouble controlling his emotions after making a mistake.

— Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Here, the focus is on controlling how a nutrient is protected and where and when it is released along the digestive tract.

— Aidan Connolly, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of controlling

Verb

For people outside of these sensitive groups, handling a receipt is probably a very low-risk activity.

— Sean McCann, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
Equipped with custom tactile grippers for handling automotive components, the robot boasts 56 total degrees of freedom.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of handling

Verb

Unflinching, the documentary does not shy away from addressing the critics’ panning of much of McCartney’s solo work, the murder of John Lennon, his brief stint in a Japanese prison and his bold choice to sue the Beatles.

— Kristin Robinson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2026
For longtime Lodi residents like Gena Brentt, addressing those problems is an investment in the community's future.

— Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of addressing

Verb

Different views on the topic The administration and its supporters reject the claim that their election efforts are aimed at disrupting or manipulating voting.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
That distinction is important as humanoid robots become increasingly capable of balancing, walking, and manipulating objects.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of manipulating

Verb

Over seven episodes, the candidates take on the actual work of a broker, negotiating multimillion-euro deals and handling discerning clients.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026
To insulate its power consumers, TVA is negotiating cost-sharing agreements with commercial partners.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of negotiating

Verb

Under the agreement, Carpentersville is responsible for supervising detainees, medical care, medical transportation and other expenses but won’t be charged for using the East Dundee jail.

— Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
She was considered his muse, supervising campaigns by Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton and in 1994 becoming head designer of the company’s secondary line, Versus.

— Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of supervising

Verb

Every Washington Nationals player filtered into the news conference room at Nationals Park on Friday afternoon, taking their seats among Cade Cavalli’s family, team ownership and staff members.

— Danielle Allentuck, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026
Martha and her mother Maria Alberto Gonzalez and his wife, Catalina Gonzalez, remember taking two buses and a train from their home on the North Side to get to the restaurant in the late 1960s.

— Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of taking

Verb

Keeping her husband happy yet oblivious—managing his baby fever with staged fake miscarriages—only goes so far when Martha begins suffering an inexplicable illness that culminates in an impossible pregnancy.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
The office of the CFO can spend less time managing work and more time interpreting information and making decisions that improve business performance.

— Ari Widlansky, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of managing

Browse Nearby Words

micromanages

micromanaging

microminiature

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“Micromanaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaging. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of micromanaging

verb

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