Meanings
plural manipulations
- countableuncountableThe practice of manipulating or the state of being manipulated.
The dealer's manipulations could have removed cards from the deck.
1 more example
The rear portion of the tender top is flat and open so as to facilitate the manipulation of the water crane.
1956 April, “"Merchant Navy" Class Pacific Modified”, in Railway Magazine, page 212 - countableuncountableThe skillful use of the hands in, for example, chiropractic.
After a few minutes of manipulation each week, she obtained days of relief from her neck pain.
- countableuncountableThe usage of psychological influence over a person, event, or situation to gain a desired outcome.
Through subtle manipulations he orchestrated the downfall of his rival.
2 more examples
The counselor was able to reach the disturbed teen through positive psychological manipulation.
A dormant and defunded CPB could have become vulnerable to future political manipulation or misuse, threatening the independence of public media and the trust audiences place in it, and potentially subjecting staff and board members to legal exposure from bad-faith actors.”
2026 January 5, Michael Schneider, “Corporation for Public Broadcasting to Shut Down After 58 Years Due to Trump Eliminating Funding”, in Variety, archived from the original on 07 Jan 2026
Synonyms & antonyms
nounexerting shrewd or devious influence especially for one's own advantage
nounthe action of touching with the hands (or the skillful use of the hands) or by the use of mechanical means
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinmanipulus
- Old Frenchmanipule
- Frenchmanipulation
- Englishmanipulation
From French manipulation, from Old French manipule, from Latin manipulus. Morphologically manipulate + -ion.
More words from French, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic تَلَاعُب, تَعْدِيل
- تَلَاعُب (talāʕub)practice of manipulating
- تَعْدِيل (taʕdīl)practice of manipulating
- تَغْيِير (taḡyīr)practice of manipulating
Bulgarian манипула́ция, бора́вене
- манипула́ция (manipulácija)practice of manipulating
- бора́вене (borávene)skillful use of the hands
- подве́ждане (podvéždane)devious management
Catalan manipulació, manipulació
- manipulaciópractice of manipulating
- manipulacióskillful use of the hands
Chinese Mandarin 操縱 /操纵, 運用 /运用
- 操縱 /操纵 (cāozòng)practice of manipulating
- 運用 /运用 (yùnyòng)practice of manipulating
Czech manipulace
- manipulacepractice of manipulating
Danish manipulation
- manipulationpractice of manipulating
Dutch manipulatie, gebruik
- manipulatiepractice of manipulating
- gebruikpractice of manipulating
- manipulatieskillful use of the hands
- manipulatiedevious management
- misbruikdevious management
Estonian manipulatsioon
- manipulatsioonpractice of manipulating
Finnish manipulaatio, manipulaatio
- manipulaatiopractice of manipulating
- manipulaatiodevious management
French manipulation, manipulation
- manipulationpractice of manipulating
- manipulationdevious management
German Manipulation, Manipulierung
- Manipulationpractice of manipulating
- Manipulierungdevious management
- Manipulierendevious management
- Manipulationdevious management
Greek χειραγώγηση
- χειραγώγηση (cheiragógisi)practice of manipulating
Hungarian manipuláció, manipuláció
- manipulációpractice of manipulating
- manipulációdevious management
Indonesian manipulasi
- manipulasipractice of manipulating
Italian manipolazione
- manipolazionepractice of manipulating
Latvian manipulācija
- manipulācijapractice of manipulating
Lithuanian manipuliacija
- manipuliacijapractice of manipulating
Norwegian Bokmål manipulasjon
- manipulasjonpractice of manipulating
Persian دستکاری, دستورزی
- دستکاری (dastkâri)practice of manipulating
- دستورزی (dast-varzi)skillful use of the hands
Polish manipulacja, manipulacja
- manipulacjapractice of manipulating
- manipulacjaskillful use of the hands
- manipulacjadevious management
Portuguese manipulação
- manipulaçãopractice of manipulating
Romanian manipulare
- manipularepractice of manipulating
Russian манипуля́ция, манипули́рование
- манипуля́ция (manipuljácija)practice of manipulating
- манипули́рование (manipulírovanije)practice of manipulating
Slovak manipulácia
- manipuláciapractice of manipulating
Spanish manipulación, manipulación
- manipulaciónpractice of manipulating
- manipulacióndevious management
Swedish manipulation
- manipulationpractice of manipulating
Turkish manipülasyon
- manipülasyonpractice of manipulating
Ukrainian маніпуля́ція, маніпулюва́ння
- маніпуля́ція (manipuljácija)practice of manipulating
- маніпулюва́ння (manipuljuvánnja)practice of manipulating
- маніпуля́ція (manipuljácija)skillful use of the hands
- маніпуля́ція (manipuljácija)devious management
Vietnamese sự thao tác
- sự thao tácpractice of manipulating
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with manipulation
Cite this entry
manipulation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manipulation
“manipulation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manipulation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “manipulation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/manipulation.
Source: manipulation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.