as in to control
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of micromanage
The coach wants more out of him, but late in the game, Johnson not only doesn’t have to micromanage his QB.
—
Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
The good news is that creating a framework that lets people use their judgment is far simpler than trying to micromanage daily decisions.
—Philip K. Howard, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
The company also argued the shareholder proposal amounts to micromanaging day-to-day operations.
—Mike Schneider, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025
Both distrust markets, both want to micromanage industry, both are protectionist, both romanticize manufacturing work and resent the disruptions that come from open global competition.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for micromanage
Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
The good news is that creating a framework that lets people use their judgment is far simpler than trying to micromanage daily decisions.
—Philip K. Howard, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
The company also argued the shareholder proposal amounts to micromanaging day-to-day operations.
—Mike Schneider, Fortune, 8 Dec. 2025
Both distrust markets, both want to micromanage industry, both are protectionist, both romanticize manufacturing work and resent the disruptions that come from open global competition.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for micromanage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanage
Verb
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Lucas had said the game would come down to who took care of the ball better, who controlled the glass and who won the rebounding battle.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
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The airline also opened a flight attendant base in Austin in October and expects to control 15 gates once a major expansion at Austin-Bergstrom is completed in the early 2030s.—
Alex Driggars,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
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Potential battlefield roles include surveillance, logistics support, and handling hazardous materials during military missions.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Research shows that abusers will threaten, harm or kill a beloved companion animal to manipulate and control the people who love them.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
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To avoid detection by streaming platforms, Smith spread his automated, manipulated streams across thousands of different songs, knowing that concentrating streams on a single track would be flagged, according to the federal prosecutor’s office.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The White House offer does not address several of the Democrats' top priorities, including requiring judicial warrants to enter private properties and barring agents from wearing masks, which obscures identities.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
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Congress regulating the surrogacy industry, Lucci argued, is one way to address these threats.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The residents and owners are negotiating a settlement agreement where residents receive compensation for moving off the property by a certain date, the attorneys said.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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The only problem is, negotiating and understanding the subsequent paradoxes — which writer/director Shane Carruth made little effort to simplify — requires a PhD in high-level physics.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The film now joins the Criterion Collection in a new digital restoration supervised by Littman.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
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Minnesota’s healthcare system is supervised by the state but delivered at the local level by the state’s 87 counties.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The state regulates 132 dams across Hawaii, most of them built as part of irrigation systems for the sugar cane industry, according to a 2019 infrastructure report by the American Society of Civil Engineers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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If DeSantis signs the bill into law, a Florida statute that regulates private investigative services, private security services and repossession services would be amended to open the door for unpaid volunteers to protect religious institutions with their own firearms.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Advice columnist Carolyn Hax takes your comments and questions most Fridays about life, family, relationships and more.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
27 Mar. 2026
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Fashion Month took us all over the globe, where weather patterns were seemingly different in every city.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanage. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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