manipulate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
manipulates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
manipulated,
past participle, past
-
manipulating
present participle
-
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.
verb
-
(tr) to handle or use, esp with some skill, in a process or action
to manipulate a pair of scissors
-
to negotiate, control, or influence (something or someone) cleverly, skilfully, or deviously
-
to falsify (a bill, accounts, etc) for one's own advantage
-
(in physiotherapy) to examine or treat manually, as in loosening a joint
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
manipulabilitynoun
-
manipulationnoun
-
manipulatornoun
-
outmanipulateverb (used with object)
-
manipulatableadjective
-
manipulativeadjective
-
manipulatoryadjective
-
nonmanipulativeadjective
-
nonmanipulatoryadjective
-
unmanipulatableadjective
-
unmanipulatedadjective
-
unmanipulativeadjective
-
unmanipulatoryadjective
-
manipulativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
manipulatesimple
-
manipulatessimple
-
have manipulatedperfect
-
has manipulatedperfect
-
am manipulatingprogressive
-
are manipulatingprogressive
-
is manipulatingprogressive
-
have been manipulatingperfect progressive
-
has been manipulatingperfect progressive
Past
-
manipulatedsimple
-
had manipulatedperfect
-
was manipulatingprogressive
-
were manipulatingprogressive
-
had been manipulatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of manipulate
First recorded in 1820–30; back formation from manipulation
Explanation
To manipulate something means to handle it skillfully, like the way a sculptor manipulates clay or a really good politician works a crowd. The verb manipulate evolved from manipulation, which back in the 1700s referred to a method of digging ore. So manipulating something originally only meant moving or arranging it by hand or mechanically. It wasn't until 1864 that people started using the word manipulate to describe someone exerting mental or emotional influence on others.
Vocabulary lists containing manipulate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (1950)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Westing Game
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
To illustrate this point, Cavallo referred to Argentina’s attempt to manipulate its inflation data in 2007.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026
This interaction gave the researchers a way to manipulate the trapped photons with exceptional speed.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026
Issuing the summons against the four men last year, District Judge Stephen Leake said the EA alleged there had been "a deliberate plan by officers of the company to manipulate the OSM regime".
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Even so, some analysts say Western governments are generally concerned about China’s efforts to influence opinions and policymaking toward Beijing, rather than about attempts to manipulate or alter votes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Because once people could author their own content in digital form—in the form of computer bits and bytes—they could manipulate it on computer screens in ways that made individuals so much more productive.
From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman
He manipulates the physical form of the ingredient to showcase different temperatures and textures: souffle, cream, biscuit, foam, and air.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
The Rams star quarterback manipulates opposing players with his eyes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
A "dark" vessel -- usually a tanker or cargo carrier -- deliberately disables or manipulates transponders in a bid to go undetected by public tracking systems like Kpler's MarineTraffic.
From Barron's ● Mar. 31, 2026
Helios, the most advanced quantum computer ever built, manipulates them with lasers to solve complex questions that would take conventional machines centuries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
The ease with which he manipulates words is his greatest talent.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
During interviews conducted after the experiment, most participants said they had not realized that their posture was being manipulated.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026
Police have also asked social media platforms, including Meta and X, to take down what they described as abusive and manipulated content targeting the premier.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
As with anyone who’s been manipulated by others, Yuru isn’t sure he wants to cooperate with anyone at the moment.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
What if the judges there feel they are being manipulated by the RN?
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
Truth was a changing display in a shop window, manipulated by hands when you weren’t looking, alluring and ever out of reach.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
By manipulating each tank's temperature and pH levels, scientists can simulate future heatwaves and induce coral bleaching to see how fish and other organisms adapt.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
The NFL prohibits renegotiating contracts after the regular season ends, a rule meant to limit teams from manipulating future cap charges once they know their final record.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Who do you think is doing the manipulating?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
The researchers found that these phonons can be generated in predictable, controllable patterns, an important step toward practical devices that rely on precisely manipulating sound at the quantum level.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 2, 2026
“Viento!” she said, moving her hands across the air like she was weaving an intricate design and manipulating the wind so it interlaced and made...a cage of thorns.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
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.
