manage

verb

ˈma-nij How to pronounce manage (audio)
Definition of managenext
1
as in to handle
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently as usual, she managed the crisis with a minimum of fuss

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to supervise
to look after and make decisions about managed a household and a business simultaneously

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to cope
to meet one's day-to-day needs it'll be hard for a few weeks, but we'll manage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word manage distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of manage are conduct, control, and direct. While all these words mean "to use one's powers to lead, guide, or dominate," manage implies direct handling and manipulating or maneuvering toward a desired result.

manages a meat market

Where would conduct be a reasonable alternative to manage?

The words conduct and manage are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conduct implies taking responsibility for the acts and achievements of a group.

conducted negotiations

When is control a more appropriate choice than manage?

In some situations, the words control and manage are roughly equivalent. However, control implies a regulating or restraining in order to keep within bounds or on a course.

controlling his appetite

When can direct be used instead of manage?

The meanings of direct and manage largely overlap; however, direct implies constant guiding and regulating so as to achieve smooth operation.

directs the store's day-to-day business

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of manage The rest of the crimes followed the same pattern: Sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., the suspects managed to break open a security gate and the front door to a store before emptying the register. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 5 July 2025 Cortisol can also manage how your body fat and muscles use glucose. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025 While Ukraine managed to shoot some of them down, likely with the Patriot system, the ones that slipped through caused unimaginable suffering. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 4 July 2025 The Saltwater Cowboys—fire company members that manage the ponies—are ready to lead the herd, and folks claim their spot, whether in kayaks, on boats, in rafts, wading in the water, and lining the shore, to watch the ponies traverse the channel. —Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for manage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manage
  1. handle
  2. supervise
  3. cope
  4. manipulate
  5. oversee
  6. do
  7. address
  8. operate
Verb
  • Once pepper is cool enough to handle, remove skin, dice, and add to the mango mixture.
    — Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 5 July 2025
  • There are, however, a variety of B2B businesses out there tailored to handle services like these.
    — Brit Morse, Fortune, 5 July 2025
Definition of handle
Verb
  • Dogs should be supervised when chewing on a bone, and larger breeds should get large ones to prevent swallowing; there are also plenty of chew toys that have a similar texture to bones, which could be a good alternative.
    — Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
  • Labor costs can drop since workers can shift from manual weeding to supervising and maintaining the robots.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
Definition of supervise
Verb
  • This includes positive coping strategies such as reframing negative thoughts, practicing grounding techniques and seeking professional mental health support.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • With over 660 comments on the viral TikTok video, internet users can't cope with Nicole's way of cheering up her granddog.
    — Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Definition of cope
Verb
  • Even a congressional candidate has alleged that humans manipulated the weather behind the Fourth of July weekend floods in Texas, which left at least 120 people dead and more than 170 still missing.
    — Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 12 July 2025
  • Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to run malicious code or access other parts of your system by manipulating memory.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
Definition of manipulate
Verb
  • Both Trump and Biden oversaw the confirmation of hundreds of judges during their respective terms, reshaping the federal judiciary and altering the confirmation process.
    — Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2025
  • Senior editor Bess Pallares is overseeing the project on Oni’s end.
    — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of oversee
Verb
  • These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
  • Humanoid robots, because they are designed to mirror parts of the human body, have more axes—or joints—on them than many other form factors, like robotic arms or other AMRs do.
    — Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 10 July 2025
Definition of do
Verb
  • Why Investors Are Flooding Into Compounding Pharmacies Compounding pharmacies address deep structural inefficiencies in the pharmaceutical system.
    — Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • In a short social media video posted Tuesday on Instagram, the 41-year-old actress addressed her exit from General Hospital amid her move to Tennessee with daughter Harper.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 9 July 2025
Definition of address
Verb
  • Today, about two-thirds of Panda’s acreage operates under Pay-to-Grow, with farmers clustered in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma.
    — Kasi Martin, Sourcing Journal, 9 July 2025
  • The organization operated the first dental clinic in the U.S. catering to AIDS patients out of a trailer in West Hollywood.
    — Tyrone Beason Follow, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
Definition of operate

Browse Nearby Words

manacling
manage
manageable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Manage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manage. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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