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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Recent Examples of micromanaging
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
That might look like remembering the name of a tenant’s dog, checking in on how a vendor’s week is going or finding ways to motivate your staff without micromanaging them.
—Alex Vasquez, Forbes.com, 20 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
Instead of micromanaging every finger, humans provide high-level input while the AI handles coordination.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
That might look like remembering the name of a tenant’s dog, checking in on how a vendor’s week is going or finding ways to motivate your staff without micromanaging them.
—Alex Vasquez, Forbes.com, 20 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
Instead of micromanaging every finger, humans provide high-level input while the AI handles coordination.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanaging
Verb
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By controlling fluid flow within the system, the device can gently squeeze the wearer's finger and wrist to recreate realistic touch sensations, demonstrating potential applications in virtual reality, teleoperation, rehabilitation, and next-generation wearable interfaces.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
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These sugars play an important role in controlling how cells interact with their surroundings.—
Charles J. Dimitroff,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
Verb
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And whatever happens, BBC Studios will remain in the saddle, handling distribution, licensing, consumer products, digital, and immersive experiences.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
-
On July 31, a dispatcher from Alligator Alcatraz called the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for guidance on handling an employee with a traffic offense warrant.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The event is Canada’s largest TV gathering, with today’s keynotes including CRTC’s Vicky Eatrides addressing plans to reform the country’s television tax break system and Netflix’s Jinny Howe delivering a keynote.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
15 June 2026
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At the top of the pile are strengthening economic ties, investment partnerships and the critical mineral supply chain as well as other global pressing issues such as innovation, AI and addressing the Ebola outbreak.—
Franco Ordoñez,
NPR,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Fears of government officials manipulating world events – including the Iran war – to make a quick buck.—
Matt Motta,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
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What online scammers are looking to steal The FBI issued a warning last month that cybercriminals are manipulating or reproducing the official FIFA World Cup website to scam fans who are looking for tickets, hospitality packages, merchandise, streaming access and betting opportunities.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Teams spend more time interpreting signals, protecting resources and negotiating around unresolved leadership tension.—
Britton Bloch,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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One option is debt settlement, which involves negotiating with creditors on a settlement amount that's less than the full amount owed.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The popular Pennsylvania amusement venue said guests ages 15 and under must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or other supervising adult during all operating hours, effective June 12.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
-
Post-production panelists included creator and co-showrunner Oren Uziel, editor Jennifer Barbot, production sound mixer Matthew Sanchez, supervising sound editor Andy Sisul, re-recording mixer Nick Offord, VFX supervisor Hnedel Maximore, and composers Kris Powers and Michael Dean Parsons.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
11 June 2026
Verb
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On Monday, 60 Tao people from Taiwan’s Orchid Island set off on a 111-mile voyage, taking turns to paddle against strong currents to reach the Ivatan people on Batan Island, located in the far north of the Philippines, replicating a journey first thought to have been made more than 4,000 years ago.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
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Hughton supported Addo at the previous World Cup in 2022 before taking charge of the team for the AFCON in Ivory Coast in early 2024.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
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The Spurs jumped out to a 29-point lead in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden before turning into a shell of themselves, somehow managing to give up the massive lead and hand the Knicks the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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France have been to the final of the last two World Cups and have deep experience of managing pressure in late rounds, and would be expected to see off the likes of Germany and The Netherlands on their way to the semifinal.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaging. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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