manage

American  

[man-ij] / ˈmæn ɪdʒ /

verb (used with object)

managed, managing

1. to bring about or succeed in accomplishing, sometimes despite difficulty or hardship.

   She managed to see the governor. How does she manage it on such a small income?

   Synonyms:

   contrive, arrange

2. to take charge or care of.

   to manage my investments.

3. to dominate or influence (a person) by tact, flattery, or artifice.

   He manages the child with exemplary skill.

4. to handle, direct, govern, or control in action or use.

   She managed the boat efficiently.

   Synonyms:

   engineer, regulate, conduct, guide

5. to wield (a weapon, tool, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   manipulate, handle

6. to handle or train (a horse) in the exercises of the manège.

7. Archaic. to use sparingly or with judgment, as health or money; husband.

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verb (used without object)

managed, managing

1. to conduct business, commercial affairs, etc.; be in charge.

   Who will manage while the boss is away?

2. to continue to function, progress, or succeed, usually despite hardship or difficulty; get along.

   How will he manage with his wife gone? It was a rough time, but we managed.

manage British  

/ ˈmænɪdʒ /

verb

1. (also intr) to be in charge (of); administer

   to manage one's affairs

   to manage a shop

2. to succeed in being able (to do something) despite obstacles; contrive

   did you manage to go to sleep?

3. to have room, time, etc, for

   can you manage dinner tomorrow?

4. to exercise control or domination over, often in a tactful or guileful manner

5. (intr) to contrive to carry on despite difficulties, esp financial ones

   he managed quite well on very little money

6. to wield or handle (a weapon)

7. rare to be frugal in the use of

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noun

1. an archaic word for manège

Related Words

See rule.

Other Word Forms

• overmanage verb (used with object)
• quasi-managed adjective
• self-managing adjective
• undermanage verb (used with object)
• undermanaged adjectiveundermanaged, undermanaging
• unmanaged adjective
• well-managed adjective

Etymology

Origin of manage

First recorded in 1555–65; earlier manege, from Italian maneggiare “to handle, train (horses),” derivative of mano, from Latin manus “hand”

Explanation

To manage is to skillfully handle something. If you can barely manage to keep your goldfish alive, you should probably think twice about adopting those Golden Retriever puppies. The verb manage also means to supervise or oversee either things or people at work. You might manage six people at the donut shop, even though you've only worked there for four months. If you carefully manage your donut shop earnings, you should be able to buy that new car next year. Manage also means to cope with or come to terms with. It might seem scary to go to college in another state, but I know you'll manage.

Example Sentences

Last year, Moody’s warned of the dangers of inviting retail investors into the funds: “If growth outpaces the industry’s ability to manage such complexities, such challenges could have systemic consequences.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Meanwhile, the Saavedra family still has a minority stake in the company and will continue to help manage it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Marie-Louise Eta has become the first woman appointed to manage a men's team in one of Europe's top five leagues after being named interim head coach of Bundesliga side Union Berlin.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

While treatments have improved in recent years, some forms of breast cancer are especially aggressive and difficult to manage.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026

My own list emblazoned in my brain, I manage to find a dozen files for the deceased members of the Forty-Eighth in about twenty minutes, all with no sign of the archivist returning.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• administer
• conduct
• dominate
• govern
• guide
• handle
• maintain
• operate
• oversee
• regulate
• run
• supervise
• take care of
• take over
• train
• use