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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 micromanage
And while Meta’s future looks more uncertain than ever, Zuckerberg has turned his attention towards building a photorealistic AI clone of himself to make his micromanaging presence omnipresent throughout the company.
—
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 May 2026
Instead, Putin spends more time in underground bunkers micromanaging his war, paranoid about a coup or an assassination attempt by Ukrainian drones, sources told the Financial Times.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 May 2026
The key was not to micromanage them.
—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
The superintendent’s role is not to micromanage lesson plans.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for micromanage
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 May 2026
Instead, Putin spends more time in underground bunkers micromanaging his war, paranoid about a coup or an assassination attempt by Ukrainian drones, sources told the Financial Times.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 May 2026
The key was not to micromanage them.
—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 8 May 2026
The superintendent’s role is not to micromanage lesson plans.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for micromanage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for micromanage
Verb
-
With multiple scoring chances and the majority of possession, Morocco has controlled much of these first 20 minutes in Boston.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
-
While the ride vehicles are connected to a track, riders can control the speed, which tops out at about 6 mph.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
International sales are handled by Fremantle with support from De Maio Entertainment.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 June 2026
-
In a highly unusual arrangement, the UFC has been handling much of the ticket access to the event, not the White House itself.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
This enables robots to identify objects, track movement, plan motions, and manipulate components with a high degree of precision.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
19 June 2026
-
Wang then placed his hands underneath her clothing and began touching her breasts before manipulating her arm to touch his genitals, the suit states.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The pending bill’s supporters say its changes are designed to address cases like that of Gilberto Guttierrez, a Los Angeles County man who has been accused of attacking his wife four times over the last 12 years.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
Clemens concluded by addressing the friction between league initiatives and the personal values of the players on the field.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Canada negotiates lower drug prices for all its citizens under its universal health care system.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
Again, this could be negotiated.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
While humans still planned and supervised the mission, the operation offered a glimpse into how future battles may unfold.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
-
After the Los Angeles Film Critics Association anointed Brazil with a trio of awards, including Best Picture, Sheinberg relented and released a 132-minute cut supervised by Gilliam.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
State lawmakers have stepped back from earlier, wider-ranging attempts to regulate AI that were vetoed or otherwise derailed by governors who viewed the measures as too onerous toward the industry’s development, including efforts to hold developers accountable for bias in AI systems.—
Marc Levy,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
The candidates in the crowded field have traded barbs about Bores’ supposed ties to Big Tech and outside groups have poured millions into the race both supporting and opposing his proposals to regulate artificial intelligence.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco was named Outstanding Chef at the award ceremony, which took place at the historic Lyric Opera in Chicago before an audience of about 2,000 chefs, restaurant owners and culinary figures.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
-
Wood took a direct shot at the goal, but Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand gathered it with ease.—
Iliana Limón Romero,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Micromanage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/micromanage. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
