Manipulative Behaviors: Signs, Types, Causes, Coping
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Relationships
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How to Recognize the Signs and Types of Manipulative Behavior
By
Odochi Ibe
Odochi Ibe
Odochi Ibe is a writer and expert in social justice, health and wellness, and documenting the human experience. You can find her playing with her cat and dog or deciphering the movements of the stars.
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Updated on March 16, 2023
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Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
Characteristics
Types
How to Identify It
Causes
Treatment
Coping
A Word From Verywell
Interpersonal relationships are complex and require healthy boundaries for everyone to thrive together. However, when problems arise, such as manipulative behavior, they need to be addressed immediately.
Manipulative behavior is used when someone wants to influence a person for their benefit, to obtain power and control.
Although the manipulator may be subtle, it's essential to spot the signs to stop the behavior and protect yourself.
Manipulative behavior can occur in personal and professional relationships and, over time, cause a power imbalance that leads to more problems down the road. Although seemingly harmless, it can create an emotionally abusive relationship leaving the other person feeling confused, anxious, and fatigued.
Learn more about the signs, causes, and coping strategies for manipulative behavior.
Characteristics of Manipulative Behavior
Manipulative behavior can be done consciously or subconsciously with ill or good intentions. It is a human trait, which means everyone has done something manipulative before. The tactics can be overt or subtle.
Some signs of manipulative behavior include:
Someone knowing your weakness and exploiting it for personal gainConvincing a person to give up important people or things in their lives to create codependencyWithholding the truth, lying, and blaming you without taking responsibility for their actionsMaking vague accusationsA person constantly judging or ridiculing you, in person or in private, in ways that make you feel insecureGaslighting when confronted with an issuePassive-aggressive behavior when angry instead of directly expressing their concerns
Manipulators have poor boundaries and experience difficulty healthily communicating their needs. They use these tactics to confuse you into giving up your power.
Types of Manipulative Behavior
Manipulative behavior and emotional manipulation go hand-in-hand. Playing mind games creates fear, questioning of your reality, and degrades trust in yourself and others.
Here are some forms of manipulative behavior:
Gaslighting
Passive aggression
Criticizing
Lying
Shaming
Isolation
Denial
Avoidance
Intimidation
Victimhood
Flattery
Double Standards: How to Identify and Avoid Them in Relationships
Identifying Manipulative Behavior
The manipulator may have various reasons for their actions. Some may want to avoid accountability, others may purposely create confusion, or they may be dealing with a mental health condition that is affecting their behavior.
Understanding the tactics and signs can help you avoid the detrimental effects on your emotional well-being and relationships.
Gaslighting
The term was introduced to the public in 1938 in a play "Gas Light" by British novelist and playwright Patrick Hamilton. The play, which was later turned into a movie, revolves around a husband who manipulates his wife in order to institutionalize her. Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that makes victims feel like their realities are made up.
This tactic may include various forms of manipulation, including lying, using what someone has said or done against them, and denying conversations. This kind of emotional abuse can cause someone to question their own sanity.
Studies show that gaslighters will use gendered and racialized stereotypes against their victims to manipulate their realities. As this behavior continues, it can create doubt, anxiety, and depression.
Isolation
There is safety in numbers, which is why manipulators work to isolate you from the people and places you feel most comfortable. Once someone has distanced themselves from their community and is placed in an unfamiliar environment, the manipulator can take control.
In a recent study, researchers found that women reported experiencing more isolation than men.
Passive-Aggression
Passive-aggressive people are indirect, but it is still a form of aggression. It's categorized as any behavior intended to harm yourself or someone else directly or indirectly.
Those who have an issue with direct communication may use backhanded compliments, guilt trips, or talking behind your back to express disapproval of your behavior.
Research shows that passive aggression is a defense mechanism for emotionally immature people. Those who struggle with anorexia, acute stress disorders, and borderline personality disorder are more likely to use passive aggression during a conflict.
Love Bombing
Love bombing is a pattern of behavior where a partner is overly affectionate and shows extreme attention to their partner. This manipulation tactic includes grand overtures such as introducing you to their loved ones, constantly giving presents and even saying “I love you” very early into the relationship.
Love bombing may be a sign of narcissistic personality disorder or unhealthy attachment styles.
Causes of Manipulative Behavior
People use manipulation to hold undue power over others. This behavior differs from healthy forms of social influence because there's no equitable exchange between individuals. One person is exploiting the other for personal gain.
Chronic manipulative behavior can be due to many factors such as:
Family history: Growing up with manipulative family members can significantly influence someone's survival mechanisms. In dysfunctional families where one may need to manipulate others to avoid punishment or get their basic needs met, they may learn to interact negatively with others. They might have learned unhealthy communication patterns and behaviors if there were struggles for power, control, love, or other perceived advantages.Mental Illness: Chronic manipulative behavior has been linked to people with attachment issues and mental health conditions such as borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.History of abuse: Experiencing certain forms of abuse can cause someone to feel unsafe communicating their needs directly, making them susceptible to forming manipulative behaviors.
Treatment for Manipulative Behavior
Long-term manipulation can negatively affect close relationships between friends, family, romantic partners, and colleagues.
Manipulative behavior can deteriorate relationships' quality, leading to poor mental health or the ending of the relationship.
Dealing with this toxic behavior can become exhausting. Treatment for those with manipulative behaviors depends on the root of the issue. Therapy may be necessary if a mental health issue causes it.
Here are ways to stop manipulative behavior in its tracks:
Seeking professional help to explore the problems in expressing your needs directlyTake accountability for your role in the relationshipLearning healthy forms of communication and boundaries within relationships
Manipulative tactics are destructive, but everyone is in charge of their behavior and can change.
Coping With Manipulative Behavior
Dealing with manipulative people is exhausting regardless of their role in your life. You may not realize a person is manipulating you because of the subtle signs that turn into more significant issues down the road.
Although it may be challenging to recognize or prevent these behaviors—because you're not creating them—you can protect yourself from the fallout.
Learn to trust your gut when confronted with manipulative behavior. You can empathize with the other person without engaging in harmful behavior such as arguing, which may encourage them.
Here are some ways to set boundaries in relationships where manipulative behavior is present:
Communicate clearly and directly about what you need or don't like.Set boundaries and call out manipulative behavior when you recognize it happening. Let the person know that you will not participate in the conversation if it continues. Find someone who is not under the influence of the manipulator and ask for their advice on the matter.
A Word From Verywell
Someone manipulating you isn't your fault, but you need to look out for your best interests. Be careful when deciding to confront someone. The possibility that they may lose their power or control over a situation or person may cause them to be more erratic. Take care of yourself and make the healthiest and safest choices for you.
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
APA dictionary of psychology. Manipulation
Sweet PL. The sociology of gaslighting. Am Sociol Rev. 2019;84(5):851-875.
Karakurt G, Silver KE. Emotional abuse in intimate relationships: The role of gender and age. Violence Vict. 2013;28(5):804-821. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-12-00041
Schanz CG, Equit M, Schäfer SK, Käfer M, Mattheus HK, Michael T. Development and psychometric properties of the test of passive aggression. Front Psychol. 2021;12:579183. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.579183
Fraley RC, Roisman GI. The development of adult attachment styles: four lessons. Current Opinion in Psychology. 2019;25:26-30. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.02.008
Brüne M. Borderline personality disorder: why ‘fast and furious’? EMPH. 2016;2016(1):52-66.
Green A, Charles K. Voicing the victims of narcissistic partners: a qualitative analysis of responses to narcissistic injury and self-esteem regulation. SAGE Open. 2019;9(2):215824401984669. doi:10.1177/2158244019846693
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MANIPULATING | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
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Meaning of manipulating in English
manipulating
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present participle of
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manipulateverb [ T ] uk
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/məˈnɪp.jə.leɪt/ us
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/məˈnɪp.jə.leɪt/
manipulate verb [T]
(INFLUENCE)
mainly disapproving to control something or someone to your advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly: Throughout her career she has very successfully manipulated the media. The opposition leader accused government ministers of manipulating the statistics to suit themselves.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Controlling and being in charge
aggrandize
assert your authority
assume
assumption
authoritative
get the better of someone idiom
get your hooks into someone/something idiom
govern
guiding principle
harness
peremptorily
peremptory
play God idiom
plenipotentiary
police
slow
tame
what someone says, goes idiom
wrangle
wrangler
See more results »
manipulate verb [T]
(USE HANDS)
to control something using the hands: The wheelchair is designed so that it is easy to manipulate.
to treat a part of the body, using the hands to push back bones into the correct position and put pressure on muscles: The doctor manipulated the base of my spine and the pain disappeared completely.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Controlling and being in charge
aggrandize
assert your authority
assume
assumption
authoritative
get the better of someone idiom
get your hooks into someone/something idiom
govern
guiding principle
harness
peremptorily
peremptory
play God idiom
plenipotentiary
police
slow
tame
what someone says, goes idiom
wrangle
wrangler
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Physiotherapy, massage & osteopathy
(Definition of manipulating from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
Examples of manipulating
manipulating
In English, many past and present participles of verbs can be used as adjectives. Some of these examples may show the adjective use.
People order their material surroundings in ways that suit their world-view, thus creating and manipulating their place in society.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
In theory any level of environmental improvement or spending can be achieved by manipulating property rights or tightening environmental standards.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
He subjects the statements of others to disputation based on manipulating a body of knowledge according to rules.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
An artistic application for manipulating speech requires no assumptions to be made in terms of the source of material.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
While manipulating the spermatophore, the male also secretes saliva, which is believed to serve as a lubricant.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Figure 3 displays predicted probabilities for men and women, while manipulating age and political interest.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
This is the common problem in manipulating a microscopic object with a microscope.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
If it means manipulating the walls in plan, it involves the ceiling and floor planes in section.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The second part contains a collection of laws for manipulating expressions that involve actor primitives.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Initially it was an economic institution designed to curb the power of plutocrats who were manipulating medicinal drug markets in their favor.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Second, our -calculus language includes first-order values, that is, values that do not contain links, and operations for manipulating them.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
In such cases, the processes predicted by the envisionment of rule 4 become questionable due to the imprecision associated with extending and manipulating curved segments.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
To test this possibility, lexical diffusion in children's productive sound systems was experimentally induced by systematically manipulating frequency and density.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
It is like tactually trying to recognize an object lain on your hand without manipulating it.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Truth-value story tasks provide a way of manipulating context to demonstrate the effect of pragmatics on judgments of acceptability.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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Contents
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manipulate (INFLUENCE)
manipulate (USE HANDS)
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Manipulate Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
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manipulate
verb
ma·nip·u·late
mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlāt
manipulated; manipulating
Synonyms of manipulate
transitive verb
1
: to treat or operate with or as if with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner
manipulate a pencil manipulate a machine
2
a
: to manage or utilize skillfully
quantify our data and manipulate it statistically—S. L. Payne
b
: to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage
being used and manipulated by the knowing men around him—New Republic
3
: to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose : doctor
suspected that the police reports were manipulated—Evelyn G. Cruickshanks
manipulatable
mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlā-tə-bəl
adjective
manipulation
mə-ˌni-pyə-ˈlā-shən
noun
manipulator
mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlā-tər
noun
manipulatory
mə-ˈni-pyə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē
adjective
Synonyms
exploit
play (upon)
See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Examples of manipulate in a Sentence
The baby is learning to manipulate blocks.
The mechanical arms are manipulated by a computer.
The doctor manipulated my back.
The program was designed to organize and manipulate large amounts of data.
He's always been good at manipulating numbers in his head.
As part of the experiment, students manipulated light and temperature to see how it affected the plants.
She knows how to manipulate her parents to get what she wants.
He felt that he had been manipulated by the people he trusted most.
The editorial was a blatant attempt to manipulate public opinion.
He's accused of trying to manipulate the price of the stock.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Diaz plays a woman tied to a bed while her captor manipulates her into believing they are engaged.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2024
The real trick is how to avoid making people feel manipulated.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024
Preventing Russia from interfering in future U.S. elections was a top C.I.A. priority during this period, and Ukrainian and American intelligence officers joined forces to probe the computer systems of Russia’s intelligence agencies to identify operatives trying to manipulate voters.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
Groups of scientists manipulate, fabricate or suppress evidence in order to deceive the public.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
In those videos, an evil impresario kidnaps and brainwashes an extra-terrestrial rock group, transforms them into prefabricated pop stars, brings them back to Earth and manipulates them to the top of the charts.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 22 Feb. 2024
Fox News agreed to pay nearly $800 million last year to settle a libel suit filed by Dominion Voting Systems over false claims the company’s machines manipulated the results of the 2020 election.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024
The road coming in there is very, very hard to manipulate.
—Doha Madani, NBC News, 21 Feb. 2024
In addition, a slide depicted a hand manipulating a puppet, recalling antisemitic tropes about secret Jewish control of government, the media and finance.
—Dana Goldstein, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manipulate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
back-formation from manipulation, from French, from manipuler to handle an apparatus in chemistry, ultimately from Latin manipulus
First Known Use
1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of manipulate was
in 1834
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“Manipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manipulate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
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Kids Definition
manipulate
verb
ma·nip·u·late
mə-ˈnip-yə-ˌlāt
manipulated; manipulating
1
: to treat or operate with or as if with the hands or by mechanical means especially with skill
manipulate the trackball
2
: to manage or use skillfully
manipulate masses of statistics
3
: to manage especially with intent to deceive
manipulate accounts manipulate public opinion
manipulation
-ˌnip-yə-ˈlā-shən
noun
manipulator
-ˈnip-yə-ˌlāt-ər
noun
Medical Definition
manipulate
transitive verb
ma·nip·u·late
mə-ˈnip-yə-ˌlāt
manipulated; manipulating
1
: to treat or operate with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner
manipulate the fragments of a broken bone into correct position
2
a
: to manage or utilize skillfully
b
: to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage
manipulative
-ˈnip-yə-ˌlāt-iv
-lət-
adjective
manipulativeness
noun
Legal Definition
manipulate
transitive verb
ma·nip·u·late
mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlāt
manipulated; manipulating
: to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose
specifically
: to affect (the price of securities) artificially in order to deceive or mislead investors
manipulable
mə-ˈni-pyə-lə-bəl
adjective
manipulation
mə-ˌni-pyə-ˈlā-shən
noun
manipulative
mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlā-tiv, -lə-tiv
adjective
manipulatively
adverb
manipulativeness
noun
manipulator
mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlā-tər
noun
manipulatory
mə-ˈni-pyə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē
adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on manipulate
Nglish: Translation of manipulate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of manipulate for Arabic Speakers
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MANIPULATE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
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Meaning of manipulate in English
manipulateverb [ T ] uk
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/məˈnɪp.jə.leɪt/ us
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/məˈnɪp.jə.leɪt/
manipulate verb [T]
(INFLUENCE)
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mainly disapproving to control something or someone to your advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly: Throughout her career she has very successfully manipulated the media. The opposition leader accused government ministers of manipulating the statistics to suit themselves.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Controlling and being in charge
aggrandize
assert your authority
assume
assumption
authoritative
cynical
get the better of someone idiom
get your hooks into someone/something idiom
govern
guiding principle
harness
peremptory
play God idiom
plenipotentiary
police
policing
slow
tame
wrangle
wrangler
See more results »
manipulate verb [T]
(USE HANDS)
to control something using the hands: The wheelchair is designed so that it is easy to manipulate.
to treat a part of the body, using the hands to push back bones into the correct position and put pressure on muscles: The doctor manipulated the base of my spine and the pain disappeared completely.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Controlling and being in charge
aggrandize
assert your authority
assume
assumption
authoritative
cynical
get the better of someone idiom
get your hooks into someone/something idiom
govern
guiding principle
harness
peremptory
play God idiom
plenipotentiary
police
policing
slow
tame
wrangle
wrangler
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Physiotherapy, massage & osteopathy
(Definition of manipulate from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
manipulate | American Dictionary
manipulateverb [ T ] us
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/məˈnɪp·jəˌleɪt/
manipulate verb [T]
(INFLUENCE)
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Add to word list
to influence or control someone to your advantage, often without that person knowing it: Her success is partly due to her ability to manipulate the media.
manipulate verb [T]
(TOUCH)
to control something by using the hands: The wheelchair is designed to be easy to manipulate.
(Definition of manipulate from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
manipulate | Business English
manipulateverb [ T ] uk
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/məˈnɪpjəleɪt/ us
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to control or influence something or someone so that you get an advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly: He can manipulate situations mostly to his benefit. The company denied that it had been involved in any attempt to manipulate the market. Confusion over regulations reigns, and companies can manipulate the system.
to use something, often with a lot of skill: The controls on the machine are quite hard to manipulate.
IT to change, move, etc. information on a computer: Spreadsheets are an excellent way to manipulate data.
(Definition of manipulate from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
What is the pronunciation of manipulate?
A1
Translations of manipulate
in Chinese (Traditional)
影響, (常指以不正當手段)操縱,控制, 用手…
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in Chinese (Simplified)
影响, (常指以不正当手段)操纵,控制, 用手…
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in Spanish
manipular…
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in Portuguese
manipular, manejar…
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in more languages
in Japanese
in Turkish
in French
in Catalan
in Dutch
in Danish
in Swedish
in Malay
in German
in Norwegian
in Ukrainian
in Russian
in Arabic
in Czech
in Indonesian
in Thai
in Vietnamese
in Polish
in Korean
in Italian
~を操る, 操(あやつ)る, 巧(たく)みに扱(あつか)う…
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ustalıkla idare etmek, yönlendirmek, ustaca kullanmak…
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manipuler…
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manipular…
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hanteren, manipuleren…
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håndtere, manipulere…
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hantera, sköta, manövrera…
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mengendalikan, memanipulasi…
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geschickt bedienen, beeinflussen…
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manipulere, håndtere, betjene…
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керувати, поводитися, маніпулювати…
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манипулировать, умело обращаться…
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يَسْتَميل (سَخْصًا ما), يُعالِج بِمَهارة (شَيْئًا ما)…
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manipulovat, ovlivňovat…
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mengendalikan, memanipulasi…
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ใช้, โกง…
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điều khiển khéo léo, lôi kéo…
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manipulować, zręcznie posługiwać się…
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조작하다…
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manipolare, manovrare…
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Verb
manipulate (INFLUENCE)
manipulate (USE HANDS)
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manipulate (INFLUENCE)
manipulate (TOUCH)
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Manipulation: 7 Signs to Look For
Skip to main content Home Conditions Back Conditions View All ADD/ADHDAllergiesArthritisAtrial fibrillationBreast CancerCancerCrohn's DiseaseDepressionDiabetesDVTEczemaEye HealthHeart DiseaseHIV & AIDSLung DiseaseLupusMental HealthMultiple SclerosisMigrainePain ManagementPsoriasisPsoriatic ArthritisRheumatoid ArthritisSexual ConditionsSkin ProblemsSleep DisordersUlcerative Colitis View All Drugs & Supplements Back Drugs & SupplementsDrugsSupplementsPill IdentifierInteraction CheckerWell-Being Back Well-Being View All Aging WellBabyBirth ControlChildren's HealthDiet & Weight ManagementFitness & ExerciseFood & RecipesHealthy BeautyMen's HealthParentingPet HealthPregnancySex & RelationshipsTeen HealthWomen's Health View All Symptom CheckerFind a DoctorMore Back MoreNewsBlogsPodcastsWebinarsNewslettersWebMD MagazineBest HospitalsSupport GroupsOrthopedics Privacy & More Subscribe Log In Search Subscribe Mental HealthReferenceManipulation: Symptoms to Look ForMedically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD on April 03, 2023 Written by WebMD Editorial ContributorsWhat Is Manipulation?Signs of ManipulationTreating ManipulationSupport and Resources5 min read It’s natural for people in relationships to have problems as the relationship grows. Sometimes these issues stem from emotions or greed. One type of problem that can surface in any type of relationship is manipulation. Learn the signs of manipulation and what to do about it if it happens in your relationships.What Is Manipulation?Manipulation is the exercise of harmful influence over others. People who manipulate others attack their mental and emotional sides to get what they want. The person doing the manipulating, called the manipulator, seeks to create an imbalance of power. They take advantage of you to get power, control, benefits, and/or privileges. Manipulation can happen in close or casual relationships, but they are more common in closely formed relationships. It includes any attempt to sway someone’s emotions to get them to act or feel a certain way.Manipulators have common tricks they’ll use to make you feel irrational and more likely to give in to their requests. A few common examples include: GuiltComplainingComparingLyingDenyingFeigning ignorance or innocenceBlame Mind games Signs of ManipulationManipulation can happen in many forms. In fact, acting kind can be a form of manipulation, depending on the intent. People who manipulate others have common traits that you can look for. They include: They know your weaknesses and how to exploit them.They use your insecurities against you.They convince you to give up something important to you, to make you more dependent on them.If they succeed in their manipulation, they will continue to do so until you get out of the situation.Other signs of manipulation include: Location AdvantageA manipulator will try to bring you out of your comfort zone and places that you are familiar with to have an advantage over you. This can be in any place that the manipulator feels ownership of or in control.Manipulation of FactsA manipulator will lie to you, make excuses, blame you, or strategically share facts about them and withhold other truths. In doing this, they feel they are gaining power over you and gaining intellectual superiority. Exaggeration and GeneralizationManipulators exaggerate and generalize. They may say things like, “No one has ever loved me.” They use vague accusations to make it harder to see the holes in their arguments.Cruel HumorThis tactic used by manipulators is meant to poke at your weaknesses and make you feel insecure. By making you look bad, they feel a sense of psychological superiority. GaslightingThis tactic is used by the manipulator to confuse you and make you question your own reality. The manipulation happens when you confront the abuse or lies and the manipulator tells you that it never happened.Passive AggressionIn passive aggression, the manipulator doesn’t voice negative feelings toward or problems with a person. Instead, they find indirect ways to express their anger and undermine the other person. Emotional manipulators will often agree to a project or action, then seek passive-aggressive ways to let the other person know they don’t really want to be doing it. They may use specific passive-aggressive techniques such as:Sullenness or cynicismIntentional mistakes and procrastinationComplaints about being underappreciated or somehow cheated out of somethingResentment and covert opposition People can be passive-aggressive for many reasons that aren’t always intended to manipulate. But chronic (long-term) manipulators will use this tactic to make you feel guilty and give backhanded compliments. They are doing this to show anger without directly being angry, making you feel confused.Social and Emotional BullyingBullies don’t always use physical violence. Constant criticism, raised voices, and threats are forms of emotional bullying. Social bullying can take the form of rumor spreading or deliberate exclusion.Other forms include intellectual and bureaucratic bullying. In intellectual bullying, someone tries to claim the role of subject matter expert, making another person feel inadequate and dependent on them for information. Bureaucratic bullying is the use of red tape – laws, procedures, or paperwork – to overwhelm someone or subvert their goals.DistortionAnother strategy used by emotionally manipulative people is to twist facts or other information needed to accurately assess a situation. In some cases, the manipulator will simply lie or claim ignorance about something. Guilt and SympathyMany people are highly susceptible to guilt. Some even go so far as to punish themselves in response to things they feel guilty about.Emotionally manipulative people prey on this vulnerability. They may play the victim or remind you of past favors. They want you to feel a sense of obligation or sympathy that they think will make them more likely to get what they want.WithdrawalThe simplest example of this kind of emotional manipulation is the silent treatment, when someone punishes you by ignoring you.ComparisonSometimes a manipulative person will compare you to someone else in order to goad you. They may use a specific person to make you feel insecure or try to establish a sense that “everyone else” is doing whatever they want you to do. They may even recruit others to pressure you into a certain emotion or action.Manipulation of CircumstanceThis strategy may be as simple as someone insisting you meet them in their home or office, where they feel most powerful. Or they may create a constraint, such as a deadline, to try to pressure you into making their preferred decision. Love-Bombing: Overwhelming and Unearned ClosenessShowering a new acquaintance with praise and affection, also called “love-bombing,” is a common tactic of emotional manipulation. It's even used in cults. An emotional manipulator may try to bind you to them through manufactured vulnerability or an artificially accelerated relationship.Constant JudgingThe manipulator does not hide their manipulation behind humor or “good fun.” In this case, they're open about judging, ridiculing, and dismissing you. They want to make you feel like you’re doing something wrong, and that no matter what you do, you will be inadequate to them. They only focus on negative aspects and don't offer constructive solutions. Treating ManipulationManipulation can be hard to identify or admit to when it happens to you. You are not at fault and you may not be able to prevent it. But there are things you can do to reduce the emotional impact of manipulation. Here are ways to set strong boundaries in a relationship: Communicate in clear, direct, and specific ways.Understand when manipulation is not normal and needs to be addressed.Set boundaries around manipulation and find a way to let the person know that you understand they are manipulating you, and that you don’t want to be a part of that conversation.Seek out a trusted person, who is not under the influence of the manipulator, and ask their advice about your situation. Being able to identify manipulation is a large part of your solution. If manipulation is coming from a loved one, it can be very difficult to seek help. But manipulation can take a toll on your own emotional well-being. So it's important that you find a safe way out of the situation.Support and ResourcesIf you feel like someone may be trying to manipulate you – whether it's a partner, relative, friend, co-worker, or anyone else – it's important to get help, especially if the situation is abusive in any way. Resources include: Relationship counselorTherapistFriendsTrusted family membersNational Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 Sources Update History ShareSOURCES:GoodTherapy: “Red Flags: Are You Being Emotionally Manipulated?”Psychology Today: “14 Signs of Psychological and Emotional Manipulation,” “Are You Being Manipulated?” “How to Spot and Stop Manipulators.”Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: “The Ethics of Manipulation.”American Psychological Association: APA Dictionary: “Machiavellianism,” “manipulation.”Emotion: “When guilt evokes self-punishment: Evidence for the existence of a Dobby Effect.”Episteme: “Communities of Disrespect: What Happens When Personhood is Lost.”Frontiers in Psychology: “Strategies and motives for resistance to persuasion: an integrative framework.”Journal of Experimental Social Psychology: “Decision speed and choice regret: When haste feels like waste.”Journal of Personality: “Manipulation in Close Relationships: Five Personality Factors in Interactional Context.”Mayo Clinic: “What is passive-aggressive behavior? What are some of the signs?”National Domestic Violence Hotline: “Here For You.”The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine: “That’s Not What Happened! How to Deal With Gaslighting in the Workplace.”UK Center for Research on Violence Against Women: “Does treatment with intimate partner violence offenders work?”How we keep our content up to date:Our medical and editorial staff closely follow the health news cycle, new research, drug approvals, clinical practice guidelines and other developments to ensure our content receives appropriate and timely updates. April 03, 2023Medically Reviewed by: Jabeen Begum, MD View privacy policy, copyright and trust info Share View privacy policy, copyright and trust info More on Mental HealthUnderstanding Different Types of Mental IllnessSigns You’re Mentally ExhaustedGaslighting: What It Is and How to Stop It Recommended FEATURED Top doctors in , Find more top doctors on Search Related LinksMental Health HomeMental Health News & FeaturesMental Health ReferenceMental Health QuizzesMental Health SlideshowsMental Health BlogsMental Health VideosFind a PsychiatristADHDAnxiety & Panic DisordersBipolar DisorderCrisis AssistanceDepressionEating DisordersHealth & BalancePersonality DisordersPTSDSchizophreniaSocial Media and Mental HealthStress ManagementSubstance Abuse & AddictionMore Related TopicsPoliciesPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyEditorial PolicyAdvertising PolicyCorrection PolicyTerms of UseAboutContact UsAbout WebMDCareersNewsletterCorporateWebMD Health ServicesSite MapAccessibilityOur AppsWebMD MobileWebMD AppPregnancyBabyAllergyFor AdvertisersAdvertise with UsAdvertising Policy © 2005 - 2024 WebMD LLC, an Internet Brands company. All rights reserved. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.
MANIPULATE Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com
GamesDaily CrosswordWord PuzzleWord FinderAll gamesFeaturedWord of the DaySynonym of the DayWord of the YearNew wordsLanguage storiesAll featuredPop cultureSlangEmojiMemesAcronymsGender and sexualityAll pop cultureWriting tipsGrammar Coach™Writing hubGrammar essentialsCommonly confusedAll writing tipsGamesFeaturedPop cultureWriting tipsmanipulate[ muh-nip-yuh-leyt ]show ipaSee synonyms for: manipulatemanipulatedmanipulatesmanipulating on Thesaurus.comverb (used with object),ma·nip·u·lat·ed, ma·nip·u·lat·ing.to manage or influence skillfully, especially in an unfair manner: to manipulate people's feelings.to handle, manage, or use, especially with skill, in some process of treatment or performance: to manipulate a large tractor.to adapt or change (accounts, figures, etc.) to suit one's purpose or advantage.Medicine/Medical. to examine or treat by skillful use of the hands, as in palpation, reduction of dislocations, or changing the position of a fetus.See moreOrigin of manipulate1First recorded in 1820–30; back formation from manipulationOther words for manipulate3 juggle, falsifySee synonyms for manipulate on Thesaurus.comOther words from manipulatema·nip·u·lat·a·ble, adjectivema·nip·u·la·to·ry [muh-nip-yuh-luh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], /məˈnɪp yə ləˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/, adjectivenon·ma·nip·u·la·tive, adjectivenon·ma·nip·u·la·to·ry, adjectiveout·ma·nip·u·late, verb (used with object), out·ma·nip·u·lat·ed, out·ma·nip·u·lat·ing.un·ma·nip·u·lat·a·ble, adjectiveun·ma·nip·u·lat·ed, adjectiveun·ma·nip·u·la·tive, adjectiveun·ma·nip·u·la·to·ry, adjectiveWords Nearby manipulatemaniocmani-pedimaniplemanipulablemanipularmanipulatemanipulationmanipulativemanipulatorManipurManisaDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024How to use manipulate in a sentenceOn the advertising side, Google said it already has policies that prohibit advertisers from using doctored or manipulated media or false claims that could undermine voter participation or trust in the election.How Google, Facebook, and Twitter plan to handle misinformation surrounding 2020 presidential election results | Danielle Abril | September 10, 2020 | FortuneThis ambiguity leaves it to the state to decide what kind of content is considered false or potentially harmful, and could allow those in power to manipulate the definition for political gain.Brazil’s “fake news” bill won’t solve its misinformation problem | Amy Nordrum | September 10, 2020 | MIT Technology ReviewThe court’s ruling was informed, in part, by tens of thousands of alternative maps demonstrating that the district boundaries had very likely been manipulated for political gain, the very definition of gerrymandering.How next-gen computer generated maps detect partisan gerrymandering | Sujata Gupta | September 7, 2020 | Science NewsThe Authenticator analyzes videos or images and tells users the percentage chance that they’ve been artificially manipulated.Microsoft’s New Deepfake Detector Puts Reality to the Test | Vanessa Bates Ramirez | September 4, 2020 | Singularity Hub After manipulating the positronium atoms with a laser to put them in the appropriate energy level, the team hit them with microwave radiation to induce some of them to jump to another energy level.A measurement of positronium’s energy levels confounds scientists | Emily Conover | August 24, 2020 | Science NewsAnd from their power structure within the prisons they manipulate and control events on the streets.The Mexican Mafia Is the Daddy of All Street Gangs | Seth Ferranti | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe studied our use of language and the way that words are manipulated to manipulate the populace.Why George Carlin Deserves His Own Street | Kevin Bartini | October 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThey are actually using the media around the galaxy to manipulate events and make people feel they have more power than they do.‘Star Wars Rebels’ Explores the Jedi’s Lost Years Between the Prequels and the Original Trilogy | Annaliza Savage | August 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut tech geeks, with their superhuman ability to manipulate ones and zeroes, do.Occupying the Throne: Justine Tunney, Neoreactionaries, and the New 1% | Arthur Chu | August 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTPorn is really the same as any other media product: People manipulate it to their purposes more than they are manipulated by it.Is Bondage Porn to Blame for a Murder? | Amanda Marcotte | July 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTCleverly though they manipulate, cleanliness is not their besetting weakness.Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.Of course they have made up their minds you are erratic, and have not the least doubt that they can manipulate that loose screw.Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonI don't want to let him manipulate that light enough to send any signals to possible Mexican watchers, Overton.Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants | H. Irving HancockHe began to manipulate the cards, lying cramped on his side, and in doing so dropped two or three.Blazed Trail Stories | Stewart Edward WhiteThey felled the great trees and dragged them aside with powerful donkey engines to manipulate their gear.The Hidden Places | Bertrand W. SinclairSee More ExamplesBritish Dictionary definitions for manipulatemanipulate/ (məˈnɪpjʊˌleɪt) /verb(tr) to handle or use, esp with some skill, in a process or action: to manipulate a pair of scissorsto negotiate, control, or influence (something or someone) cleverly, skilfully, or deviouslyto falsify (a bill, accounts, etc) for one's own advantage(in physiotherapy) to examine or treat manually, as in loosening a jointSee moreOrigin of manipulate1C19: back formation from manipulation, from Latin manipulus handfulDerived forms of manipulatemanipulability (məˌnɪpjʊləˈbɪlɪtɪ), nounmanipulatable or manipulable, adjectivemanipulation, nounmanipulative, adjectivemanipulatively, adverbmanipulator, nounmanipulatory, adjectiveCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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MANIPULATION | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
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Meaning of manipulation in English
manipulationnoun [ C or U ] uk
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/məˌnɪp.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ us
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/məˌnɪp.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/
manipulation noun [C or U]
(INFLUENCE)
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mainly disapproving controlling someone or something to your own advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly: They have been accused of fraud and stock market manipulations. There's been so much media manipulation of the facts that nobody knows the truth of the matter. The country's opposition party claims the president returned to power through political manipulation.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Power to control
ahold
all's well that ends well idiom
all-powerful
ascendancy
authoritarianism
be above someone's pay grade idiom
cradle
discretionary
grip
he who pays the piper calls the tune. idiom
hegemonic
hegemonism
implant
power structure
power struggle
power vacuum
predominance
puissance
sway
the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world idiom
See more results »
manipulation noun [C or U]
(BODY TREATMENT)
treatment of a part of the body using the hands: Osteopathy involves massage and manipulation of the bones and joints.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Physiotherapy, massage & osteopathy
chiropractic
chiropractor
craniosacral
ECT
effleurage
essential oil
massage
massage parlour
masseur
masseuse
occupational therapy
osteopath
physical therapist
physical therapy
physio
physiotherapy
prone
prone positioning
proning
set
See more results »
(Definition of manipulation from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
manipulation | American Dictionary
manipulationnoun [ C/U ] us
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/məˌnɪp·jəˈleɪ·ʃən/
manipulation noun [C/U]
(INFLUENCE)
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the action of influencing or controlling someone or something to your advantage, often without anyone knowing it: [ U ] They have been accused of illegal manipulation of the stock market.
manipulation noun [C/U]
(TOUCH)
an act of controlling or moving something by using the hands: [ U ] Often a dislocated finger can be fixed by manipulation.
(Definition of manipulation from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
manipulation | Business English
manipulationnoun uk
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/məˌnɪpjəˈleɪʃən/ us
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[ C or U ] the control of someone or something in order to get an advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly: He believed that regulators should try to eliminate fraud and market manipulation. Federal authorities are conducting a widespread investigation of the manipulation of stock option grants.
[ U ] using something, often with a lot of skill: the manipulation of complex machinery
[ U ]
IT the process of changing, moving, etc. information on a computer: data manipulation
See also
share manipulation
(Definition of manipulation from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
What is the pronunciation of manipulation?
C1
Translations of manipulation
in Chinese (Traditional)
影響, 操縱(為了個人利益而控制某人或某事,尤指利用不公平或不誠實的方式), 身體護理…
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in Chinese (Simplified)
影响, 操纵(出于个人利益操纵某人某事,常指使用不公平或不诚信的方式), 身体护理…
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in Spanish
manejo, manipulación, manipulación [feminine…
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in Portuguese
manipulação, manuseio, manipulação [feminine]…
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in more languages
in French
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in Turkish
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in Czech
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in Ukrainian
manipulation [feminine], manipulation…
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操作(そうさ)…
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ustaca kullanma, yönlendirme…
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hantering, manipulatie…
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manipulace…
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manipulation…
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manipulasi…
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การโกง…
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sự thao tác, lôi kéo…
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manipulacja…
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manipulation…
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manipulasi…
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die Manipulation…
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manipulasjon [masculine], manipulering [masculine], håndtering [masculine]…
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маніпуляція…
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an answer or reaction
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Contents
English
Noun
manipulation (INFLUENCE)
manipulation (BODY TREATMENT)
American
Noun
manipulation (INFLUENCE)
manipulation (TOUCH)
Business
Noun
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Manipulating - definition of manipulating by The Free Dictionary
Manipulating - definition of manipulating by The Free Dictionary https://www.thefreedictionary.com/manipulatingPrinter Friendly
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manipulate (redirected from manipulating)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Encyclopedia.
ma·nip·u·late (mə-nĭp′yə-lāt′)tr.v. ma·nip·u·lat·ed, ma·nip·u·lat·ing, ma·nip·u·lates 1. To move, arrange, operate, or control by the hands or another body part or by mechanical means, especially in a skillful manner: She manipulated the lights to get just the effect she wanted. See Synonyms at handle.2. To influence or manage shrewdly or deviously: He manipulated public opinion in his favor.3. To tamper with or falsify for personal gain: tried to manipulate stock prices.4. Medicine To handle and move in an examination or for therapeutic purposes: manipulate a joint; manipulate the position of a fetus during delivery.[Back-formation from manipulation.]ma·nip′u·lat′a·ble adj.ma·nip′u·la′tor n.ma·nip′u·la·to′ry (-lə-tôr′ē) adj.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.manipulate (məˈnɪpjʊˌleɪt) vb1. (tr) to handle or use, esp with some skill, in a process or action: to manipulate a pair of scissors. 2. to negotiate, control, or influence (something or someone) cleverly, skilfully, or deviously3. to falsify (a bill, accounts, etc) for one's own advantage4. (Medicine) (in physiotherapy) to examine or treat manually, as in loosening a joint[C19: back formation from manipulation, from Latin manipulus handful] manipulability n maˈnipuˌlatable, maˈnipulable adj maˌnipuˈlation n maˈnipulative adj maˈnipulatively adv maˈnipuˌlator n maˈnipulatory adjCollins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014ma•nip•u•late (məˈnɪp yəˌleɪt) v.t. -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 1. to manage or influence skillfully and often unfairly: to manipulate people's feelings. 2. to handle or use, esp. with skill: to manipulate a large tractor. 3. to adapt or change (accounts, figures, etc.) to suit one's purpose or advantage. 4. to examine or treat by skillful use of the hands, as in palpation, reduction of dislocations, or changing the position of a fetus. [1820–30; back formation from manipulation] ma•nip′u•lat`a•ble, adj. Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.manipulatePast participle: manipulatedGerund: manipulatingImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast ConditionalImperativemanipulatemanipulatePresentI manipulateyou manipulatehe/she/it manipulateswe manipulateyou manipulatethey manipulatePreteriteI manipulatedyou manipulatedhe/she/it manipulatedwe manipulatedyou manipulatedthey manipulatedPresent ContinuousI am manipulatingyou are manipulatinghe/she/it is manipulatingwe are manipulatingyou are manipulatingthey are manipulatingPresent PerfectI have manipulatedyou have manipulatedhe/she/it has manipulatedwe have manipulatedyou have manipulatedthey have manipulatedPast ContinuousI was manipulatingyou were manipulatinghe/she/it was manipulatingwe were manipulatingyou were manipulatingthey were manipulatingPast PerfectI had manipulatedyou had manipulatedhe/she/it had manipulatedwe had manipulatedyou had manipulatedthey had manipulatedFutureI will manipulateyou will manipulatehe/she/it will manipulatewe will manipulateyou will manipulatethey will manipulateFuture PerfectI will have manipulatedyou will have manipulatedhe/she/it will have manipulatedwe will have manipulatedyou will have manipulatedthey will have manipulatedFuture ContinuousI will be manipulatingyou will be manipulatinghe/she/it will be manipulatingwe will be manipulatingyou will be manipulatingthey will be manipulatingPresent Perfect ContinuousI have been manipulatingyou have been manipulatinghe/she/it has been manipulatingwe have been manipulatingyou have been manipulatingthey have been manipulatingFuture Perfect ContinuousI will have been manipulatingyou will have been manipulatinghe/she/it will have been manipulatingwe will have been manipulatingyou will have been manipulatingthey will have been manipulatingPast Perfect ContinuousI had been manipulatingyou had been manipulatinghe/she/it had been manipulatingwe had been manipulatingyou had been manipulatingthey had been manipulatingConditionalI would manipulateyou would manipulatehe/she/it would manipulatewe would manipulateyou would manipulatethey would manipulatePast ConditionalI would have manipulatedyou would have manipulatedhe/she/it would have manipulatedwe would have manipulatedyou would have manipulatedthey would have manipulatedCollins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:Switch to new thesaurus Verb1.manipulate - influence or control shrewdly or deviously; "He manipulated public opinion in his favor"pull strings, pull wiresact upon, influence, work - have and exert influence or effect; "The artist's work influenced the young painter"; "She worked on her friends to support the political candidate"2.manipulate - hold something in one's hands and move itpalm, handle - touch, lift, or hold with the hands; "Don't handle the merchandise"lay hands on - manage with the handsmouse - manipulate the mouse of a computerfiddle with, twiddle - manipulate, as in a nervous or unconscious manner; "He twiddled his thumbs while waiting for the interview"wield, handle, manage - handle effectively; "The burglar wielded an axe"; "The young violinist didn't manage her bow very well"control, operate - handle and cause to function; "do not operate machinery after imbibing alcohol"; "control the lever"massage, rub down, knead - manually manipulate (someone's body), usually for medicinal or relaxation purposes; "She rubbed down her child with a sponge"knead, work - make uniform; "knead dough"; "work the clay until it is soft"shuffle, mix, ruffle - mix so as to make a random order or arrangement; "shuffle the cards"monkey, tamper, fiddle - play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly; "Someone tampered with the documents on my desk"; "The reporter fiddle with the facts"diddle, toy, fiddle, play - manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate"3.manipulate - tamper, with the purpose of deception; "Fudge the figures"; "cook the books"; "falsify the data"fudge, misrepresent, wangle, fake, falsify, cookchisel, cheat - engage in deceitful behavior; practice trickery or fraud; "Who's chiseling on the side?"juggle - manipulate by or as if by moving around components; "juggle an account so as to hide a deficit"4.manipulate - manipulate in a fraudulent manner; "rig prices"rigprice - determine the price of; "The grocer priced his wares high"5.manipulate - control (others or oneself) or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage; "She manipulates her boss"; "She is a very controlling mother and doesn't let her children grow up"; "The teacher knew how to keep the class in line"; "she keeps in line"keep in line, controltease - to arouse hope, desire, or curiosity without satisfying them; "The advertisement is intended to tease the customers"; "She has a way of teasing men with her flirtatious behavior"handle - show and train; "The prize-winning poodle was handled by Mrs. Priscilla Prescott"ingratiate - gain favor with somebody by deliberate effortsinteract - act together or towards others or with others; "He should interact more with his colleagues"6.manipulate - treat manually, as with massage, for therapeutic purposedcare for, treat - provide treatment for; "The doctor treated my broken leg"; "The nurses cared for the bomb victims"; "The patient must be treated right away or she will die"; "Treat the infection with antibiotics"Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.manipulateverb1. influence, control, direct, guide, conduct, negotiate, exploit, steer, manoeuvre, do a number on (chiefly U.S.), twist around your little finger He's a very difficult character. He manipulates people. She was unable, for once, to manipulate events.2. work, use, operate, handle, employ, wield The technology uses a pen to manipulate a computer.3. massage, rub, knead, palpate The way he can manipulate my leg has helped my arthritis so much.4. falsify, alter, distort, change, doctor, cook (informal), rig, interfere with, fiddle with (informal), juggle, tamper with, tinker with, misrepresent The government manipulated the figures.Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002manipulateverb1. To use with or as if with the hands:handle, ply, wield.2. To handle in a way so as to mix, form, and shape:knead, work.3. To control to one's own advantage by artful or indirect means:exploit, maneuver, play. The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translationsيَتَلَاعَبُيُدير أو يُؤَثِّر بِذَكاءيُعالِج باليَدmanipulovatovlivňovatmanipulerehåndterebeeinflussenmanipulierenχειρίζομαι επιδέξιαmanejarmanipularmanipuloidamanipulermanœuvrermaniermanipuliratimanipulálhafa áhrif áhandleikamanipolaremanipolare i contimanovramaneggiaremani-巧みに扱う조종하다manipuliacijamanipuliatoriusmanipuliuotipuikiai valdytisumaniai paveiktiietekmētmanipulētprasmīgi apietiesmanipulerenhåndterelefle medtrekke i trådenebetjenefikse og ordnezmanipulowaćmanipularманипулироватьmanipuleraชักใยidare etmekustaca kullanmakyönlendirmekthao túng操纵熟练控制manipulate [məˈnɪpjʊleɪt] VT1. [+ tool, machine, vehicle] → manipular, manejar2. (fig) [+ facts, figures] → manipular; [+ public opinion, person] → manipularCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005manipulate [məˈnɪpjʊleɪt] vt [+ person, situation, event] → manipuler [+ puppet] → manipuler [+ substance, tool] → manipuler [+ bones, muscles] → manipuler [+ nature] → manipuler; [+ genes] → manipulerCollins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005manipulate vt public opinion, person, prices, data, media → manipulieren; accounts, figures → manipulieren, frisieren (inf); to manipulate somebody into doing something → jdn so manipulieren, dass er/sie etw tut machine etc → handhaben, bedienen; bones → einrenken; (after fracture) → zurechtrückenCollins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007manipulate [məˈnɪpjʊleɪt] vt (tool) → maneggiare; (controls) → azionare (Med) (fig) (person) → manipolare; (situation, system) → manovrareCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995manipulate (məˈnipjuleit) verb1. to handle especially skilfully. I watched him manipulating the controls of the aircraft. hanteer يُعالِج باليَد контролирам manusear manipulovat geschickt bedienen håndtere χειρίζομαιmanipular, manejar käsitsema اداره کردن käsitellä manœuvrer לְהַפעִיל בִּמיוּמָנוּת चलाना upravljati, manipulirati kezel mengendalikan handleika manovrare 巧みに扱う 잘 다루다 manipuliuoti, puikiai valdyti prasmīgi apieties; manipulēt mengendalikan hanterenhåndtere, betjene, manipulere zręcznie posługiwać się اداره كول manusear a mânui, a manevra умело обращаться manipulovať upravljati rukovati hantera, sköta, manövrera ใช้ ustaca kullanmak 操作(尤指熟練地) керувати, поводитися ہنرمندی سے برتنا điều khiển khéo léo 熟练控制2. to manage or influence cleverly (and dishonestly). A clever lawyer can manipulate a jury. manipuleer يُدير أو يُؤَثِّر بِذَكاء манипулирам manipular ovlivňovat beeinflussen manipulere επηρεάζωmanipular manipuleerima ماهرانه دستکاری کردن manipuloida manœuvrer לְתַמרֵן ולהשפיע על- जोड़-तोड़ करना utjecati na, izmanipulirati manipulál memanipulasi hafa áhrif á manipolare あやつる 조작하다 sumaniai paveikti manipulēt; ietekmēt memanipulasi manipulerenmanipulere, lefle med, fikse og ordne, trekke i trådenemanipulować په مهارت سره اداره كول manipular a manipula влиять ovplyvňovať vplivati na manipulisati manipulera โกง yönlendirmek (暗中)操控 маніпулювати چالاکی سے اپنے موفق منشا بنانا lôi kéo (暗中)操纵 maˌnipuˈlation noun manipulasie مُعالَجَه، تأثير манипулация manipulação manipulace die Manipulation manipulation χειρισμός, επηρεασμός manipulación manipuleerimine دستکاری manipulaatio manœuvre תמרון चालन-परिचालन rukovanje, manipulacija kezelés; manipuláció manipulasi handfjötlun manipolazione 巧みな扱い 조작 manipuliacija manipulācija manipulasi hantering, manipulatiehåndtering, manipulering manipulacja لاسوهنه manipulação manipulare манипуляция manipulácia manipulacija manipulacija manipulation การโกง ustaca kullanma, yönlendirme 操作,操控 маніпуляція کارستانی sự thao tác; lôi kéo 操作maˈnipulator noun manipuleerder المُعالِج اليَدوي، مُضارِب манипулатор manipulador manipulátor, -ka das Drahtzieher manipulator αυτός που χειραγωγεί και εκμεταλλεύεται τους άλλους manipulador manipuleerija دست ماشینی manipulaattori manipulateur/-trice מַשפִּיע בְּצוּרָה בִּלתִי הוֹגֶנֶת प्रयोग, छल-योजन, छल-साधन, हेर-फेर, कुशल प्रयोग rukovalac, manipulator kezelő(készülék), manipulátor (átvitt ért. is) manipulator maður sem hefur áhrif á aðra með kænskubrögðum manipolatore, manipolatrice 巧みに扱う人 조작자 manipuliatorius operators; manipulators orang yang pandai memanipulasi manipulator person som håndterer; en som ordner seg godt manipulator د بشر له جنس نه manipulador manipulator манипулятор manipulátor, -ka manipulator manipulator manipulatör คนโกง ustaca kullanan, yönlendiren 操作者 оператор; маніпулятор چابک دستی سے عمل کرنے والا người thao tác; người lôi kéo 操作者Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.manipulate → يَتَلَاعَبُ manipulovat manipulere manipulieren χειρίζομαι επιδέξια manipular manipuloida manipuler manipulirati manipolare 巧みに扱う 조종하다 manipuleren håndtere zmanipulować manipular манипулировать manipulera ชักใย idare etmek thao túng 操纵Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009manipulate v. manipular, manejar. English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012manipulate vt manipularEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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As they went along, the man questioned the youth and assisted him with the replies like one manipulating the mind of a child. View in contextIn a few moments I was standing at the foot of the tree manipulating myself all over with a view of ascertaining the extent of the injuries I had received. View in contextShe raised herself on her elbow and with her free hand, in the way she knew, manipulating his forehead and the surfaces around his eyes, soothed him off to sleep. View in contextHis hands were invariably blotted with ink and stained with chemicals, yet he was possessed of extraordinary delicacy of touch, as I frequently had occasion to observe when I watched him manipulating his fragile philosophical instruments. View in contextAs a candidate in 2016, Trump repeatedly charged that China was manipulating its currency and as president he would immediately label China as a currency manipulator.Tesla deliveries beat everyone's forecastsElection lawyer George Garcia bared that several candidates informed him that they have been approached by people claiming to be from the Comelec's IT Department and asked for P50 to P60-million in exchange for manipulating election results.Polls bets told to beware of P50 M vote manipulation scamManipulating a cellphone was a contributing factor in more than 800 crash deaths on U.S.How Cell Phone Use While Driving Is ChangingThe purpose of the program was to make market manipulation simpler by using built-in tools like a special tab called "whale tools," which executed several "abusive strategies." "If everybody can manipulate, then nobody is manipulating," Eilertsen said, (https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-10-03/crypto-bots-manipulate-proudly) Bloomberg reported .Trading Bots Manipulate Cryptocurrency PricesBANKING AND CREDIT NEWS-June 19, 2018--JPMorgan fined for manipulating dollar benchmarkJPMorgan fined for manipulating dollar benchmarkM2 EQUITYBITES-June 19, 2018--JPMorgan fined for manipulating dollar benchmarkJPMorgan fined for manipulating dollar benchmarkGlobal Banking News-June 19, 2018--JPMorgan fined for manipulating dollar benchmarkJPMorgan fined for manipulating dollar benchmark
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MANIPULATING Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus
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Est. 1828
Thesaurus
Synonyms of manipulating
as in exploiting
as in managing
as in negotiating
as in exploitingas in managingas in negotiating
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manipulating
verb
Definition of manipulating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
exploiting
deceiving
maneuvering
playing (upon)
tricking
plotting
fooling
jockeying
engineering
duping
devising
deluding
arranging
hoodwinking
scheming
intriguing
bluffing
defrauding
cheating
gulling
swindling
conning
masterminding
kidding
chiselling
fleecing
finagling
hoaxing
contriving
finessing
chiseling
snowing
taking in
beguiling
machinating
cozening
shanghaiing
hustling
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
managing
handling
addressing
treating
negotiating
taking
playing
maneuvering
hacking
swinging
coping (with)
fielding
grappling (with)
controlling
contending (with)
pulling
coming to grips with
regulating
jockeying
having a grip on
guiding
engineering
carrying out
directing
steering
finessing
getting off
carrying off
commanding
responding (to)
reacting (to)
micromanaging
bringing off
running
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
fumbling
mishandling
bungling
botching
messing (up)
muffing
goofing (up)
scamping
lousing up
foozling
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
negotiating
arranging
plotting
managing
engineering
maneuvering
contriving
framing
masterminding
finessing
wangling
machinating
finagling
concluding
scheming
conducting
concocting
handling
conniving
directing
concerting
working out
hammering out
intriguing
hatching
compassing
brewing
angling (for)
commanding
cooking (up)
running
gerrymandering
quarterbacking
captaining
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
blowing
mangling
fumbling
mishandling
butchering
bungling
botching
messing (up)
gumming (up)
flubbing
bobbling
muffing
lousing up
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Thesaurus Entries Near manipulating
manipulates
manipulating
manipulation
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“Manipulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manipulating. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.
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Nglish: Translation of manipulating for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of manipulating for Arabic Speakers
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