manipulative

[muh-nip-yuh-ley-tiv, -yuh-luh-tiv]

adjective

1. influencing or attempting to influence the behavior or emotions of others for one’s own purposes.

   a manipulative boss.

2. of or relating to manipulation of objects or parts of the body; serving to manipulate.

   spinal manipulative therapy.

noun

1. Usually manipulatives any of various objects or materials that students can touch and move around in order to help them learn mathematical and other concepts.

   the use of blocks, flashcards, and other manipulatives in the classroom.

Other Word Forms

• manipulatively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of manipulative¹

First recorded in 1815–20; manipulat(e) ( def. ) + -ive ( def. )

Example Sentences

She added that she believes he deserves a long sentence, writing: "He has no interest in changing or becoming better. He will always be the same cruel, power-hungry, manipulative man that he is."

From BBC

"It was strange, but it's done in such a manipulative way you think he's doing you a favour," she explains.

From BBC

A UK Athletics disciplinary panel found that Young - who Scotland's Muir stopped working with in 2023 - "ignored medical advice" and "used manipulative and coercive behaviour towards those he coached".

From BBC

The agency, which protects consumers from unfair business practices, accused Amazon of duping people into automatically renewing their Amazon Prime subscriptions through “manipulative, coercive, or deceptive user-interface designs.”

From Los Angeles Times

Combine “There Will Be Blood’s” voracious oil baron and “The Master’s” manipulative spiritual guru with this movie’s America-first nativists and you have Anderson’s unholy trinity of characters who have corrupted our founders’ ideals.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• canny 
• considerate 
• devious 
• scheming 
• shrewd 
• wily