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

• overmanage
  verb (used with object)
• undermanage
  verb (used with object)
• 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

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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”

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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

See Examples For:

manage manages managed managing

The village formed a youth group in 2011 to manage what they call the "tabu area", and the group leads the effort to plant corals and encourage a healthy ecosystem.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

He has this terrible feeling of helplessness that is eventually supplanted by this terrible feeling of power that he’s unable to manage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

How should they manage their money to minimize income taxes?

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

Although practical applications will require further development, this atomic-scale approach could eventually help researchers manage both vortex movement and heat flow in future superconducting technologies, potentially enabling more efficient devices that consume less power.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

I manage to croak out a thanks and take my order from Glen.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Father and son now travel regularly together; Stuart helps lead their ministry for students, called “Give Me An Answer,” and manages their social-media accounts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Aterian Investment Partners, a New York-based firm that manages about $2 billion, is among those that have decided it won’t raise a new fund.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

NHS Resolution, which manages legal claims and compensation cases on behalf of the NHS in England, confirmed the payouts.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

“I think this case is a very big deal if it manages to go forward,” Owen said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

Coincidentally, she manages to do it right when the coach is glancing down at her phone.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

Castle Espie, which is managed by the WWT, is located on the shores of Strangford Lough, just outside Comber.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

In McDonnell, his supporters say, the mayor has an honest and principled leader who has managed to steady a department beset by low morale, dwindling staffing levels and aging facilities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

His guest, Starsailor frontman James Walsh, managed two correct results with no exact scores, leaving him on 20 points.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Analyst Nigel Pittaway tells clients in a note that momentum appears solid, with managed portfolios and retirement products both growing strongly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Jonah had managed to figure that out all by himself.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

"If you want to sell something to a person, you have to try to convince them by doing something," he said when comparing selling pictures to managing Premier League players.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Early on, Stansbury also explained, the pair discovered a “play not to lose” culture, where managing costs led to shortsighted decisions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

The Roadster demo “was an engineering flex with no commercial value beyond embarrassing traditional car makers,” Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, wrote on X.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

However, some businesses are managing through the disruption.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

He had a knack for pulling together a group of artistic people, guiding them in staging a play, raising money, and managing the finances.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

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Related Words

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

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