manipulation

American  

[muh-nip-yuh-ley-shuhn] / məˌnɪp yəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of manipulating.

2. the state or fact of being manipulated.

3. skillful or artful management.

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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.

Example Sentences

In trials, patients have demonstrated thought-controlled cursor navigation and robotic arm manipulation -- genuine breakthroughs, although ethicists and regulators have raised questions about privacy and long-term safety.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

His agitating and manipulation, which he would later concede was primarily staged, drove a wedge between Montag and the show’s star Lauren Conrad.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

He and other traders on the losing side created a Discord forum called “Whale Eaters,” where they discussed alleged manipulation by UMA heavyweights.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

But the larger context of the Make Heaven Crowded tour exposes a sinister element of manipulation at play.

From Salon • May 17, 2026

Rifkin and many others believed that any manipulation of DNA, even in a controlled laboratory setting, was dangerous because it might lead to genetic mutations and make it possible to engineer “designer babies.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot