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
Relevance
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of manipulate
Such infractions, where teams manipulate the vehicle's rear height for aerodynamic advantages, occasionally occur, leading to disqualifications after races.
—
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025
These players are in danger of being released as teams look to manipulate their cap space to save money ahead of free agency and/or to get cap compliant ahead of the new season.
—James Boyd, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
In addition to those frustrations, there are times when gadget makers use software updates to manipulate product functionality and seriously upend owners' abilities to use their property as expected.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 11 Feb. 2025
The 18-episode season made Laura’s death feel almost world-historic, peeling back the layers to reveal a grand, mythological evil manipulating events into shape.
—K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for manipulate 
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025
These players are in danger of being released as teams look to manipulate their cap space to save money ahead of free agency and/or to get cap compliant ahead of the new season.
—James Boyd, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
In addition to those frustrations, there are times when gadget makers use software updates to manipulate product functionality and seriously upend owners' abilities to use their property as expected.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 11 Feb. 2025
The 18-episode season made Laura’s death feel almost world-historic, peeling back the layers to reveal a grand, mythological evil manipulating events into shape.
—K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for manipulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulate
Verb
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In the Syrian Arab Republic, there was a risk of the group exploiting security vacuums after the fall of the Syrian government of Bashar Al-Assad on December 8.—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab,
Forbes,
15 Feb. 2025
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But in other cases, there’s little justification for tracking your whereabouts, which then can be exploited by apps, ad services or even hackers.—
Kelvin Chan,
The Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Last month, my colleague Mike Winters profiled a couple who successfully manage 15 credit cards in order to maximize their perks.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2025
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Williams will report to Paul Higginson, Executive Vice President, EMEA for Universal Pictures International and will manage day-to-day operations in the territory, which is one of UPI’s biggest theatrical markets.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Originally, no alcohol was supposed to be served there, says the tech company sales executive who commissioned the event, but Sicily Lifestyle managed to negotiate to have wine.—
Andrew Sessa,
Robb Report,
18 Feb. 2025
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The crash occurred on Route 85 in the area of Martin Road just before 5 p.m. when a 64-year-old Hebron woman traveling south in a 2011 Nissan Pathfinder crossed the yellow center lines while negotiating a left curve in the road, according to Connecticut State Police.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Minor leaguers and players trying to make the club out of spring can put up gaudy (deceiving) numbers against dubious competition.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
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The viewer may feel deceived for a moment, but most people know that trash talk is par for the course among sports fandoms.—
Emily Forlini,
PCMAG,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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As noted by Windows Report, the change is that now Google will offer to change it for you on the spot rather than simply prompting you to handle that elsewhere.—
Kevin Purdy,
Ars Technica,
11 Feb. 2025
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The museum is also working to incorporate more tactile elements, allowing visitors to handle artifacts or replicas, says Matti Wallin, HMNS's accessibility programs manager.—
Shafaq Patel,
Axios,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Frame a few new photos and arrange them with meaningful keepsakes on your shelves.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2025
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This cosmic phenomenon inspired the couple to include astrological motifs throughout their wedding plans, from personalized Zodiac plates for every guest to arranging the tables to represent the sun with surrounding planets in orbit.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Parker addressed this mistake during a press conference just days later.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
15 Feb. 2025
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The best modern iterations address these shortcomings.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Chromatic is effectively a modern, premium Game Boy Color engineered to elevate the best features of Nintendo’s original while fixing its shortcomings.—
Jason Evangelho,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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To test that hypothesis, Dr. Jarvis hopes to engineer mice with mutations in NOVA1, FOXP2 and other genes that may have been important in the rise of language.—
Carl Zimmer,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near manipulate
Cite this Entry
“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulate. Accessed 25 Feb. 2025.
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