The word "manipulative" is spelled as /məˈnɪpjʊleɪtɪv/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable "man" is pronounced as "mən" (like "men") while the second syllable "i" is pronounced as "ɪ" (like "it"). The third syllable "pu" is pronounced as "pjʊ" (like "pyu") and the fourth syllable "la" is pronounced as "leɪ" (like "lay"). The final syllable "tive" is pronounced as "tɪv" (like "tiv"). The word "manipulative" describes someone or something attempting to control or influence others in a devious or unfair way.
Manipulative refers to the act of influencing or controlling someone or something in a cunning or devious manner, often for personal gain or to achieve a desired outcome. This term is commonly associated with the use of deceitful tactics and psychological strategies to alter another person's thoughts, actions, or decisions, often without their awareness.
In interpersonal relationships, a manipulative individual tends to exploit other people's vulnerabilities, emotions, or weaknesses to their advantage. They may employ tactics such as guilt-tripping, gaslighting, or emotional manipulation to achieve their objectives or maintain control over others. Manipulators may use flattery, charm, or persuasion to gain trust and obtain compliance from their targets. They often possess a astute ability to exploit social dynamics and manipulate information to suit their purposes.
In a broader context, manipulative can also describe activities or situations where facts or circumstances are purposefully altered or misrepresented to influence an outcome. For instance, manipulative marketing techniques may involve misleading advertising or coercive tactics to persuade consumers into purchasing products or services. Similarly, manipulative behavior can be observed in political or business contexts, where individuals or groups may use dishonest strategies to sway public opinion or gain an unfair advantage over competitors.
Overall, the term manipulative refers to the skillful and often unscrupulous manipulation of people, situations, or information for personal gain, control, or desired outcomes.
Pert. to or done by the hand.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "manipulative" originated from the Latin word "manipulatus", which is the past participle of the verb "manipulare". "Manipulare" is derived from two Latin words, namely "manus" meaning "hand" and "plere" meaning "to fill". Therefore, the original meaning of "manipulative" was "to handle skillfully or to fill with the hand". Over time, the term evolved to its current usage, referring to someone who uses skillful or artful means to influence or control others for personal gain.