manipulative
adjective
ma·nip·u·la·tive
mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlā-tiv 
-lə-
: of, relating to, or performed by manipulation
Osteopathy emphasizes manipulative techniques to correct abnormalities thought to cause disease and inhibit recovery.—
Carol L. Otis et al.
Carol L. Otis et al.
especially
: serving or intended to control or influence others in an artful and often unfair or selfish way
a clever and manipulative child
manipulative behavior
Simpleminded as his critics found his ideas and remarks, cynical and manipulative as he may have been in actuality, he seemed to believe every word he said. —Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller
manipulatively
adverb
manipulativeness
noun
Examples of manipulative in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But as silly as his locks are, Alexander delivers an outright chilling performance as a manipulative killer who wants to make the BAU jump through his hoops.
—EW.com, 6 June 2024
For instance, the star of David in the Israeli flag has sometimes been replaced by a swastika, and some pro-Palestinian activists have shared images that recall classic antisemitic propaganda, like the portrayal of the Jew as a hidden and manipulative puppet master.
—Marc Tracy, New York Times, 3 June 2024
The researchers found millions of features inside Claude, including some representing bias, fraudulent activity, toxic speech, and manipulative behavior.
—Billy Perrigo/san Francisco, TIME, 21 May 2024
Since celestial twins symbolize the sign, Gemini tends to be unfairly stereotyped as two-faced or manipulative.
—Katie Mannion, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for manipulative 
EW.com, 6 June 2024
For instance, the star of David in the Israeli flag has sometimes been replaced by a swastika, and some pro-Palestinian activists have shared images that recall classic antisemitic propaganda, like the portrayal of the Jew as a hidden and manipulative puppet master.
—Marc Tracy, New York Times, 3 June 2024
The researchers found millions of features inside Claude, including some representing bias, fraudulent activity, toxic speech, and manipulative behavior.
—Billy Perrigo/san Francisco, TIME, 21 May 2024
Since celestial twins symbolize the sign, Gemini tends to be unfairly stereotyped as two-faced or manipulative.
—Katie Mannion, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for manipulative
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manipulative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near manipulative
Cite this Entry
“Manipulative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manipulative. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
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