maneuver 1 of 2

verb

Definition of maneuvernext
1
as in to manipulate
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently maneuvered the conversation so as to avoid the touchy subject of her divorce

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care successfully maneuvered a way to get him to ask her to the dance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

maneuver

2 of 2

noun

1
as in attack

Related Words
2
as in subterfuge

Related Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word maneuver different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of maneuver are artifice, feint, ruse, stratagem, trick, and wile. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

Where would artifice be a reasonable alternative to maneuver?

While in some cases nearly identical to maneuver, artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When is it sensible to use feint instead of maneuver?

The meanings of feint and maneuver largely overlap; however, feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

When is ruse a more appropriate choice than maneuver?

The words ruse and maneuver can be used in similar contexts, but ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

In what contexts can stratagem take the place of maneuver?

The words stratagem and maneuver are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

the stratagem-filled game

When would trick be a good substitute for maneuver?

In some situations, the words trick and maneuver are roughly equivalent. However, trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.

the tricks of the trade

When could wile be used to replace maneuver?

Although the words wile and maneuver have much in common, wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

How is the word maneuver different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of maneuver are artifice, feint, ruse, stratagem, trick, and wile. While all these words mean "an indirect means to gain an end," maneuver suggests adroit and skillful avoidance of difficulty.

last-minute maneuvers to avert bankruptcy

Where would artifice be a reasonable alternative to maneuver?

While in some cases nearly identical to maneuver, artifice implies ingenious contrivance or invention.

the clever artifices of the stage

When is it sensible to use feint instead of maneuver?

The meanings of feint and maneuver largely overlap; however, feint implies a diversion or distraction of attention away from one's real intent.

a feint toward the enemy's left flank

When is ruse a more appropriate choice than maneuver?

The words ruse and maneuver can be used in similar contexts, but ruse stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression.

the ruses of smugglers

In what contexts can stratagem take the place of maneuver?

The words stratagem and maneuver are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stratagem implies a ruse used to entrap, outwit, circumvent, or surprise an opponent or enemy.

the stratagem-filled game

When would trick be a good substitute for maneuver?

In some situations, the words trick and maneuver are roughly equivalent. However, trick may imply deception, roguishness, illusion, and either an evil or harmless end.

the tricks of the trade

When could wile be used to replace maneuver?

Although the words wile and maneuver have much in common, wile suggests an attempt to entrap or deceive with false allurements.

used all of his wiles to ingratiate himself

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 maneuver
Verb
Across 180 trials, the drone achieved a reported success rate ranging from 72 percent to 100 percent, demonstrating its ability to maneuver through cluttered and visually obscured environments. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026 But when some sly maneuvering on his part gets his photo and name in the tabloids as a Bond frontrunner, the chaos that follows takes over the days leading up to Eid — the most important holiday of the year for his British Pakistani family. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft has completed a major deep-space maneuver, setting it on course to rendezvous late this year with the asteroid system targeted by NASA's DART mission back in 2022. —Keith Cooper, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2026 Trump then postponed his deadline amid what the White House described as diplomatic progress—a face-saving maneuver that former Defense Secretary James Mattis warned could ultimately cede the strait to Tehran’s influence. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for maneuver
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maneuver
  1. manipulate
  2. negotiate
  3. attack
  4. subterfuge
  5. handle
  6. arrange
  7. assault
  8. ruse
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
Definition of manipulate
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
Definition of negotiate
Noun
  • Riverside County Department of Animal Services officials are seeking help from the public in locating a pair of dogs that were recently involved in an attack on a wild burro, part of a series of attacks on the creatures dating back to late 2025.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
  • His two-run single helped Andrew go up 5-0 after the first, and his versatility is a key component of the Thunderbolts’ attack.
    — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Early Jewish interpreters also struggled with the fact that Rebekah’s favoritism toward Jacob and her insistence upon his subterfuge nevertheless align with God’s plan.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
  • This claim swayed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to note this version of the administration’s fabrication in his dissent, which will be forever linked to this administration’s subterfuge.
    — Mark Pirie, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Definition of subterfuge
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
Definition of handle
Verb
  • The concierge specializes in Kyoto’s cultural events, and can help access exclusive ochaya with an interpreter, score tickets to the theater, book dinner reservations, a huge help in Kyoto, or help arrange meetings with monks and priests at the city’s Shinto shrines and temples.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
  • These could be arranged into longer, songlike sequences that played automatically.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of arrange
Noun
  • At present, as America's military aggression and assault continue with full force, all our efforts and resources are devoted to defending Iran's very existence.
    — Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • After investigating the shooting, Boston Police detectives were able to obtain a warrant for the suspect out of Suffolk County Juvenile Court for several gun charges and armed assault to murder.
    — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of assault
Noun
  • Six phone calls made from one of the suspect numbers — in between calls to the San Francisco victim on the day of his robbery — were to a Los Angeles man who was zip-tied, duct-taped and beaten inside his Los Angeles home on New Year’s Eve, following a delivery ruse.
    — Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Antoine’s art dealer Armand (Lellouche), desperate to keep Antoine from falling apart, urges Suzanne to keep the ruse alive.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of ruse

Browse Nearby Words

manes
maneuver
maneuver (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Maneuver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maneuver. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on maneuver

Nglish: Translation of maneuver for Spanish Speakers

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