Websters Word for the week of January 12, 2026
1: to move or control with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner
a baby learning to manipulate blocks
Parallel parking requires manipulating a large, heavy, expensive thing into a tight space …
—Aarian Marshall
2a: to manage or utilize skillfully
As part of the experiment, students manipulated light and temperature to see how it affected the plants.
… quantify our data and manipulate it statistically …
—S. L. Payne
b: to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage
The editorial was a blatant attempt to manipulate public opinion.
… being used and manipulated by the knowing men around him.
—New Republic
3: to change by deceptive or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose : doctor
The company manipulated its accounts to exaggerate its profits.
… suspected that the police reports were manipulated …
—Evelyn G. Cruickshanks
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