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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Recent Examples of micromanage
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
What once was an obstacle to allowing others to help, has come under new management, finally allowing the rest of the family to jump in on the action without fear of being micromanaged.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 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
Kinahan is known to micromanage his appearances on social media.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for micromanage
Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
What once was an obstacle to allowing others to help, has come under new management, finally allowing the rest of the family to jump in on the action without fear of being micromanaged.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 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
Kinahan is known to micromanage his appearances on social media.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for micromanage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanage
Verb
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The lawsuit accused Reina of secretly opening and controlling corporate credit cards and using station funds to pay mortgage and property tax bills on his West Sacramento home.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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According to a 2020 study published in Nature Communications, which compared populations from different vent fields, the scaly-foot gastropod’s iron sulfide mineralization is biologically controlled and tied to gene expression.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which customarily handles shootings involving officers in the Peach State, is handling the investigation, which remains ongoing.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Over the past year, security researchers have been warning that hackers are increasingly targeting the technology behind global shipping, quietly manipulating systems that move goods worth millions of dollars.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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The messages—widely condemned as vulgar, misogynistic, racist, and homophobic—also revealed discussions about manipulating media coverage, targeting political opponents, and casual references to the misuse of public funds.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Slusser's parents, Paul and Kim Slusser, provided a joint statement to Fox News Digital addressing the crackdown on the university.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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There was also an Amazon package addressed to the 84-year-old on the front stoop.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The small extension was meant to buy time for Democratic lawmakers to negotiate with the GOP and White House over changes to DHS in the wake of the fatal shootings of Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis last month.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
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However, as Comer threatened to begin contempt of Congress proceedings, the Clintons started negotiating towards a compromise.—
Stephen Groves,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Also returning to the show’s production team are music director Michael Bearden, production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley, lighting designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz and supervising choreographer Mandy Moore.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
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Most recently supervising producer, Hardin has been upped to director of production at Dropout after nearly nine years with the company.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But, like the media companies, both banks are regulated by his Administration, creating an incentive to settle.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
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Breathable, flexible fabrics help regulate temperature and move with your body—especially when layered intentionally.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Saman said some of the wounded who were hospitalized, including one of his friends who was shot in his calf, were then taken into custody by the regime's forces.—
Somayeh Malekian,
ABC News,
27 Jan. 2026
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These recommendations are based, in part, on studies that have found higher relapse rates among those who stop taking the medication versus those who do not.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanage. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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