manipulative

American  

[muh-nip-yuh-ley-tiv, -yuh-luh-tiv] / məˈnɪp yəˌleɪ tɪv, -yə lə tɪv /

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.

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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

Etymology

Origin of manipulative

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

Example Sentences

It is a term that describes manipulative tactics used to drive engagement online, with usage of it increasing threefold in the last 12 months, according to the dictionary publisher.

From BBC

With rare exceptions, bosses typically stand in as the villains in workplace movies and are often portrayed as manipulative, hard-driving taskmasters.

From The Wall Street Journal

The case against her was threadbare, a product of postwar rancor, false testimony and manipulative journalists who had preyed on her naivete.

From Los Angeles Times

Participants were also asked to evaluate the retailer’s trustworthiness on a seven-point scale, with one being completely untrustworthy or manipulative and seven being totally trustworthy or sincere.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ms Miller stressed the fabrication had not been a "long running scam or a manipulative story like it's been made out to be".

From BBC

Related Words

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