to control something or someone to your advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly:
Throughout her career she has very successfully manipulated the media.
The opposition leader accused government ministers of manipulating the statistics to suit themselves.
to control something using the hands:
The wheelchair is designed so that it is easy to manipulate.
to treat a part of the body, using the hands to push back bones into the correct position and put pressure on muscles:
The doctor manipulated the base of my spine and the pain disappeared completely.
to influence or control someone to your advantage, often without that person knowing it:
Her success is partly due to her ability to manipulate the media.
to control something by using the hands:
The wheelchair is designed to be easy to manipulate.
to control or influence something or someone so that you get an advantage, often unfairly or dishonestly:
He can manipulate situations mostly to his benefit.
The company denied that it had been involved in any attempt to manipulate the market.
Confusion over regulations reigns, and companies can manipulate the system.
to use something, often with a lot of skill:
The controls on the machine are quite hard to manipulate.
to change, move, etc. information on a computer:
Spreadsheets are an excellent way to manipulate data.