1. Hold something in one's hands and move it
   "She manipulated the clay to form a sculpture"
    
2. Treat manually, as with massage, for therapeutic purposes
   "The chiropractor manipulated the patient's spine"
    
3. Influence or control shrewdly or deviously
   "He manipulated public opinion in his favour";
   - pull strings [informal], pull wires [N. Amer]
    
4. Direct or influence behaviour through power or authority; maintain discipline
   "She manipulates her boss";
   - keep in line, control
    
5. Cause to change in a way that is not intended or honest
   "manipulate prices";
   - rig
    
6. Tamper, with the purpose of deception
   "manipulate the figures";
   - fudge, fake, falsify, cook [informal], wangle [informal], misrepresent, spoof [informal]

Derived forms: manipulated, manipulates, manipulating

Type of: act upon, care for, cheat, chisel [informal], handle, influence, interact, palm, price, treat, work

Encyclopedia: Manipulate