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

Under the skylight of a 10-foot industrial ceiling is a cold, foreboding blacksmith’s forge — which, on an active day, would heat up to 2,500 degrees — surrounded by uncut, conical metal templates awaiting manipulation.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

These three cases describe a new kind of financial manipulation that existing laws aren’t built to handle.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Lively's legal team accused Baldoni and his film studio, Wayfarer, of planning to wreck her reputation, including by using social media manipulation and friendly journalists to sow certain narratives.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Lies, deceit and manipulation might be the core principles of our modern world, but that doesn’t make them any less infuriating.

From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026

Between 1890 and 1900, even as questions and concerns about human heredity and its manipulation became central to policy makers in America and Europe, Mendel’s name and his work were lost to the world.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee