manipulating

verb

present participle of manipulate
1
as in exploiting
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

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2
as in managing
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently spin doctors manipulating the data to make it seem more favorable to their preferred candidates

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3
as in negotiating
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

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 manipulating Last Wednesday, Meta reached a settlement with the attorneys general of forty-seven states, who had sued it for illegally manipulating the attention of children. — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 The experiment, therefore, suggests that empty space itself could become a new tool for manipulating quantum matter, much like other efforts to push the limits of superconducting materials. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026 Herrouet was arrested in November and charged with grand theft and running a scheme to defraud by employing relatives and manipulating payroll expenses, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026 Artificial intelligence has enabled the rapid rise of such tools, capable of digitally manipulating photos with little effort. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Instead of a surgeon physically manipulating every instrument by hand, the doctor could control a robotic system that translates those decisions into extremely precise movements. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 Instead of replacing long-term bonds with long-term bonds, Treasury is expected to replace them with short-term bills, manipulating the yield curve. — Steve Liesman,matt Peterson, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026 They are accused of falsifying overtime claims, forging approvals from supervisors and manipulating official records. — Ben Conarck, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2026 The answer to this question is not found, according to the framework of Protocol Art, in sussing out the nature of the machine but rather the mind manipulating it. — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manipulating
  1. exploiting
  2. managing
  3. negotiating
  4. handling
  5. arranging
  6. addressing
  7. plotting
  8. treating
Verb
  • Others have been accused of exploiting the relatively affordable policies to acquire residency by creating shell companies, prompting calls to plug loopholes.
    — Christine Miyawaki, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Letting GaN balance its own charge Researchers at EPFL’s POWERlab tackled the problem by exploiting something GaN naturally does.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of exploiting
Verb
  • Having a healthy lawn means managing soil conditions for the roots, mowing properly, and strengthening the density of the grass by overseeding.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Asked about their firm’s primary hurdle in managing the current trade landscape, the vast majority (57 percent) said policy uncertainty, like tariffs changing with little notice, as their foremost challenge.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of managing
Verb
  • Furthermore, relationships themselves teach basic psychological capacities such as regulating emotions, tolerating disappointment, and negotiating differences—skills which therapy is supposed to cultivate.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Iran and Oman are negotiating a deal to temporarily open the strait.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of negotiating
Verb
  • What those reviews don't capture is the proportion of bookings that complete without incident, which, across platforms handling millions of reservations annually, is considerably higher than review distributions suggest.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Wash hands after handling any pet food and keep children away from pet food dishes and treats.
    — Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of handling
Verb
  • Paltrow is also friendly with OpenAI’s vice president of global creative partnerships, Charles Porch, who the Times reports was central to arranging the dinner in his boss’ honor.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Are practical barriers, such as transportation or arranging for care outside the facility, influencing the decision not to consider screening more than her own values or medical condition?
    — Kim Johnson, STAT, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of arranging
Verb
  • Also, supportive connections between Mercury and Mars make this a great time for addressing personal matters with a clear head and common sense.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The work required clarifying roles and responsibilities, addressing internal conflict, establishing accountability and consistently tracking commitments.
    — Jason Bork, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of addressing
Verb
  • Proper later allegedly admitted to plotting the UFC 250 attack and described it in full to the FBI, according to the criminal complaint.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • For now, Fearn seems less focused on plotting out a career and more interested in chasing whatever catches his attention next.
    — Wengel Gemu, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of plotting
Verb
  • Investors are no longer treating the loop as background noise, repricing oil, bonds and taking into consideration a hawkish Fed.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Bonnell appears to be treating software as another part of the motorcycle's suspension system and something that can be adjusted to suit the rider’s preferences, skill, and terrain.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of treating

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Cite this Entry

“Manipulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulating. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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