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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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
The company also argued the shareholder proposal amounts to micromanaging day-to-day operations.
—
Mike Schneider, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025
Through automating repetitive tasks, flagging risks, and prioritizing leads, monday CRM helps companies spend less time micromanaging complex systems and more time closing on important, meaningful deals.
—Ethan Stone, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Angie Katsanevas, who loves brand names, beauty and micromanaging her family, swaps lives with off-the-grid homesteader and former Mormon Lindsay Flake, whose family lives without electricity, running water and rules.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 16 Sep. 2025
Kids desperately want to be able to explore and play without adults micromanaging them, Skenazy says.
—Charlotte Alter, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
The incessant crackdowns, and the campaigns of censorship or censoriousness, suggest that the Chinese regime is intent on not just eliminating opposition, but also micromanaging its people’s lifestyles, consumption, and beliefs.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025
That doesn’t mean burning out or micromanaging every detail.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 24 Aug. 2025
This resulted in a tendency to be highly active as parents of college students, which included some parents micromanaging their students.
—Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Don't talk about trust while micromanaging.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Mike Schneider, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025
Through automating repetitive tasks, flagging risks, and prioritizing leads, monday CRM helps companies spend less time micromanaging complex systems and more time closing on important, meaningful deals.
—Ethan Stone, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Angie Katsanevas, who loves brand names, beauty and micromanaging her family, swaps lives with off-the-grid homesteader and former Mormon Lindsay Flake, whose family lives without electricity, running water and rules.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 16 Sep. 2025
Kids desperately want to be able to explore and play without adults micromanaging them, Skenazy says.
—Charlotte Alter, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
The incessant crackdowns, and the campaigns of censorship or censoriousness, suggest that the Chinese regime is intent on not just eliminating opposition, but also micromanaging its people’s lifestyles, consumption, and beliefs.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025
That doesn’t mean burning out or micromanaging every detail.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 24 Aug. 2025
This resulted in a tendency to be highly active as parents of college students, which included some parents micromanaging their students.
—Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
Don't talk about trust while micromanaging.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanaging
Verb
-
In April 2025, Dane announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells controlling muscles throughout the body.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
-
That said, our primary focus for aligning the organization with our long-term goals remains disciplined workforce management, meaning prioritizing voluntary departures while carefully controlling recruitment for replacements and new roles.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Restaurant workers handling dead roaches and not noticing enough rodent poop to fill a human toilet lowlight this week’s Sick and Shut Down List of South Florida restaurants failing inspection.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Businesses handling sensitive data demand stable and predictable outputs.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a statement addressing the incident on Monday, Davidson reiterated that his verbal tics and uncontrollable swearing, which are symptoms of Tourette's, are involuntary.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The legislation, however, does not yet create a clear regime specifically addressing performers’ likenesses, biometric data or voice cloning.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hogan and his men secretly functioned as an espionage and sabotage operation, successfully manipulating the inept Germans over the course of 168 episodes.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Trump fired former Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer in August, implying that the agency was manipulating labor market data under her leadership.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Critics chided the college for not negotiating specific benefits or concessions for the school in exchange for its land.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
That knowledge translates directly into negotiating power — and into avoiding the expensive surprises that catch unprepared buyers off guard.—
Allison Palmer
Updated February 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
To achieve that, supervising sound editor Nelson Ferreira recorded Elordi’s ADR at a high resolution of 96K to enable Robitaille to push and distort the voice without adding artifacts.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Team player representatives, the overall group supervising negotiations, voted 26-4 in favor, leaving the overall ballot at 26-12 for ratification.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After sweeping España and taking an emotional victory over defending MLS Cup champion Inter Miami in front of 75,000 fans at the Coliseum, LAFC visits Houston for a league match on Saturday having outscored the opposition 10-1.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
So instead of taking the shot, Doncic passed the ball to James.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Local departments of social services were also cited for weaknesses in managing bank accounts, following procurement rules, monitoring contracts and ensuring lawful disbursements.—
J.B. Jennings,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Other lifestyle habits like staying active, getting enough sleep, and managing stress may lower your risk of disease, too.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaging. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
