1
as in to exploit
to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means
the con man would slyly manipulate the emotions of his marks in order to win their sympathy and trust
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to manage
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
spin doctors manipulating the data to make it seem more favorable to their preferred candidates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
manipulated the schedule of presidential primaries so that the choice of the party elders would win the nomination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manipulate
Over the next several years, authorities said Carty manipulated the victim into mailing money to couriers across the United States, who then forwarded the cash to him in Jamaica.
—
Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Some viewers took Sharon’s critique as tough love that prompted necessary introspection about why their natural texture is concealed and manipulated so often.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 14 May 2026
These parents are being manipulated by their children.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2026
As Latifi plumbs the industry, what stands out is just how manufactured this content is, and how often the children are being manipulated to perform.
—Kristen Martin, The Atlantic, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Some viewers took Sharon’s critique as tough love that prompted necessary introspection about why their natural texture is concealed and manipulated so often.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 14 May 2026
These parents are being manipulated by their children.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2026
As Latifi plumbs the industry, what stands out is just how manufactured this content is, and how often the children are being manipulated to perform.
—Kristen Martin, The Atlantic, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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The Criminal Division will not allow foreign actors to exploit the American financial system and use it as a safe haven for the proceeds of their corruption.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
-
Brunson’s defense and the lack of rim protection from Towns remain weaknesses, but nobody has come close to exploiting them so far.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Rescue crews managed to pull 13 survivors from the lake, including a child, while five others were pronounced dead at the scene.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
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If his film’s fetishized heroine manages to claw her way back out by the end, conquering her daddy issues and taking on the boogeyman, most of us are still stuck down there.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
There’s a lot of ways to negotiate.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
19 May 2026
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While Pritzker and state lawmakers have been negotiating on legislation to provide the Bears with property tax breaks for a stadium in Arlington Heights, Johnson has continued to push to keep the Bears in Chicago.—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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He was also accused of deceiving escrow agents to secure the release of pre-construction condominium deposits and then misappropriated those funds for personal expenses unrelated to the developments.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
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For Arjun Singri, founder of Scamless, this has created a new kind of digital arms race, where the same technology driving progress is also being used to deceive people at scale.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Wear gloves when handling it and wash your hands immediately after.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
17 May 2026
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The conversion is being handled by SDFX Studios (formerly Stereo D), the same company del Toro worked with on Pacific Rim.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Soon, survey crews showed up, bulldozers were spotted along dusty roads, and the Army Corps of Engineers arranged private meetings.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
The spa There’s no spa, but morning yoga and pilates classes are hosted on the rooftop and the hotel can help arrange in-room massage treatments.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Trump administration officials also want to work toward establishing a Board of Trade with China to address commercial differences between the countries.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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If the divorce paperwork does not address the loan, or if your former spouse cannot qualify to refinance, talk with your family law attorney about your options.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
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These grains haven’t been engineered for shelf life or yield, which is part of the appeal for cooks looking for more flavor, more texture and more variety on the plate.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
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The reactor is engineered to run on mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel and transuranic (TRU) fuels sourced from existing Department of Energy stockpiles.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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