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
Instead of micromanaging every finger, humans provide high-level input while the AI handles coordination.
—
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Elite athletes are not consciously micromanaging each action.
—David Van Den Heever, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
That becomes micromanaging very quickly.
—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
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
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Elite athletes are not consciously micromanaging each action.
—David Van Den Heever, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
That becomes micromanaging very quickly.
—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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanaging
Verb
-
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
-
Analyses show the experiment succeeded at expanding access and controlling costs without bankrupting health systems or pharmaceutical firms.—
Michael Rose,
STAT,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Gas prices crossed an average of $4 a gallon nationally this week and just 24% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling that issue, a new CNN/SSRS poll released March 31 found.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That portion of the bill addressing proprietary business information will automatically be repealed on July 1, 2033.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Heading into the 2026 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers have a few roster holes that need addressing.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Full-palm tactile sensing allows the robot to continue manipulating objects even when cameras are obstructed or when precise force control is required, such as in assembly tasks.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Orban started manipulating these grievances, and did so to significantly divide Hungarian society.—
John Shattuck,
The Conversation,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The unions have been negotiating with the district for more than a year over wages, staffing levels and working conditions.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Asian countries’ energy and commodities imports have been strangled, and several are negotiating with Tehran for safe passage — a situation that could quickly become permanent, an academic noted.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At that hearing, Alex Adams, supervising deputy district attorney for the juvenile justice unit in the District Attorney’s Office, informed the judge of their motion to transfer the defendant to adult criminal court for prosecution.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The film brings together leading creative talents from 12 countries, including South Korea, with key contributors such as animation supervisor Jae Hyung Kim (Toy Story 4, Inside Out), supervising producer David Lipman (Shrek franchise) and production designer Marcin Jakubowski (Klaus).—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cameron House is dreamy, in part for its location and breath-taking views and in part for its blend of baronial grandeur and modern luxury.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Fort Worth Southwest Christian senior Lara Langford, a UMass-Boston signee, hurled four innings striking out four and giving up five runs in taking the loss.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cooking, handling special requests and managing busy environments still depend on people.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Wait times listed on the MyTSA mobile app may not be accurate because TSA isn’t actively managing its sites during the shutdown.—
John Raby,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanaging. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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