manipulation
Americannoun
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the act of manipulating.
-
the state or fact of being manipulated.
-
skillful or artful management.
Etymology
Origin of manipulation
First recorded in 1720–30; from French, equivalent to manipule “handful” ( see maniple) + -ation -ation
Explanation
Manipulation is the skillful handling, controlling or using of something or someone. Whether it's the sculpture you made in art class or how you convinced your friend to do your homework — both are considered manipulation. From the Latin word for "handful," manipulation certainly has much to do with using your hands to move or shape something, like a good DJ manipulating two totally different tunes into the perfect mashup. But this word also has some negative connotations — a manipulative person knows how to twist words, play on emotions and otherwise manage a situation in a sneaky fashion to get what he wants.
Vocabulary lists containing manipulation
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
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Fear and Loathing in Cleveland: Trump's RNC Acceptance Speech
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Sula
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Manipulation involves getting a robot to mimic the motions of human hands, and that’s no easy task.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025
The 14-page doctrinal note, titled “Moral Limits to the Technological Manipulation of the Human Body,” sets forth guidelines for changing a person’s sex, specifically with youth.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 24, 2023
Manipulation may induce a fear response involving lack of movement that might be mistakenly interpreted as the animal being calm.
From Slate • Nov. 22, 2022
Our paper, titled “Price Manipulation in the Bitcoin Ecosystem,” examined this suspicious trading activity.
From Salon • Jul. 1, 2018
General Manipulation of the Press.—Supposing the filter in the position shown in Figs.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 358, November 11, 1882 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
