manage

American  

[man-ij] / ˈmæn ɪdʒ /

verb (used with object)

manages, present (3rd person singular) managed, past participle, past managing present participle

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)

manages, present (3rd person singular) managed, past participle, past managing present participle

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

Synonym Usage

See rule.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• quasi-managed
  adjective
• self-managing
  adjective
• undermanaged
  adjective
• unmanaged
  adjective
• well-managed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• managing
  present
• managed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• manage
  simple
• manages
  simple
• have managed
  perfect
• has managed
  perfect
• am managing
  progressive
• are managing
  progressive
• is managing
  progressive
• have been managing
  perfect progressive
• has been managing
  perfect progressive

Past

• managed
  simple
• had managed
  perfect
• was managing
  progressive
• were managing
  progressive
• had been managing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will manage
  simple
• will have managed
  perfect
• will be managing
  progressive
• will have been managing
  perfect progressive

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

Manage expectations around how quickly those bonds will form.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

The privately owned Manage My Health platform said cybercriminals had accessed the records of six-to-seven percent of its 1.8 million users in the country.

From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026

On Verizon, for example, go to Manage Perks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

Manage notifications: if you archive a WhatsApp group you won't get interrupted every time there's a new message, and can catch up on new posts all together when you have time.

From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025

All her responsibilities are inside it: Manage the servants.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Related Words

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