[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/manipulation/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [M](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/m/) / manipulation

# manipulation

noun (manipulation, manipulations)

«manipulation» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Controlling or influencing people in a clever and unfair way, so they do what you want. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#m1)
2. Skilful handling or moving of something with the hands or a tool. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#m2)
3. Changing information, numbers or pictures, sometimes to trick people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#m3)
4. (medicine) Moving or pressing body parts to treat them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#m4)

### In the lessons

In personal safety and friendship lessons, manipulation is a warning sign: guilt trips, threats, flattery or keeping secrets to control someone. In media literacy, «photo manipulation» and «data manipulation» can mislead. In maths, «algebraic manipulation» means rearranging expressions and equations. Phrases: «emotional manipulation», «photo manipulation», «algebraic manipulation».

### Examples

- Saying «If you were my friend you'd do it» can be a kind of manipulation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#x1)
- Photo manipulation can make a fake picture look real. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#x2)
- Algebraic manipulation helped us solve for y. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#x3)
- Playing with clay improves children's manipulation of small objects. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#x4)
- The advert used clever manipulation of our feelings. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#x5)
- Data manipulation can make a graph tell a false story. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#x6)
- The physiotherapist used gentle manipulation on Dad's back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#x7)
- Learning to spot manipulation keeps you safer online. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/#x8)

### Note

Countable and uncountable. Verb: manipulate; adjective: manipulative. Usually negative when about people, neutral when about hands, tools or maths. In maths problems, «manipulation» of an equation must keep both sides equal.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «manipulation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/manipulation/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«manipulation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/manipulation.html) on Mova free.