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 Last week, during Tropical Storm Chantal, Sarah remembered a news story from Helene in which a man had managed to reach his kayak and survive the flooding, saving more than ten people in the process. —Jessica Pishko, New Yorker, 15 July 2025 Discuss your risk factors and ways to manage risk with your healthcare provider. 3. —Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 15 July 2025 However, one of her bridesmaids managed to save the day. —Michael Nied, People.com, 15 July 2025 Australia’s oldest operating planetarium is the Melbourne Planetarium, managed by Museums Victoria since 1965. —Martin Bush, Space.com, 5 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
  • Today’s chatbots, in contrast, can engage in meaningful, multi-turn conversations—answering complex questions, handling follow-ups, and even escalating issues when necessary.
    — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • The poll also shows that 39 percent approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president versus 56 percent who disapprove.
    — Amanda Castro Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 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
  • The class encompasses information about exercises to prepare the mother for birth, relaxation and coping techniques, pain control options, labor positioning, induction and C-section basics, recovery and welcoming baby.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2025
  • Rents spiked despite anti-gouging laws, insurance companies were slow to pay out claims, and even people whose homes hadn’t been completely destroyed were often coping with costly and dangerous damage from smoke and toxic chemicals that required them to relocate for months.
    — Rebecca Keegan, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2025
Definition of cope
Verb
  • Fast-forward to this month, when Paramount agreed to a $16 million settlement to move past Trump's claims that CBS's 60 Minutes deceptively manipulated a pre-election interview with Kamala Harris.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
  • The Dershowitz theory does not compute because the government invariably manipulates projections about future harm for ulterior partisan or personal motives.
    — Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 24 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
  • The Great Lakes freighter sank — one of the largest on Lake Superior ever to do so — during a violent November storm in 1975 while carrying Minnesota ore.
    — Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 23 July 2025
  • That means do not connect to free airport networks as most of us do.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Definition of do
Verb
  • An inspector identified seven violations on July 8 and gave Ali until Aug. 12 to address them, according to city records.
    — Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
  • The project’s scope extends beyond entertainment into cultural preservation, addressing themes that Kiragandur considers essential to contemporary discourse.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 July 2025
Definition of address
Verb
  • At the Port of Detroit, U.S. Customs and Border Protection removed crew members from at least two cruise ships operating in the Great Lakes earlier this month, USA TODAY reports.
    — Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 22 July 2025
  • SpaceX was also famously involved in funding and operating the headline-grabbing Polaris Dawn crewed commercial mission in September 2024.
    — Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 22 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 29 Jul. 2025.

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