manipulative

/məˈnɪpjələtɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /məˈnɪpjəleɪtɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /mə-ˈni-pyə-ˌlā-tiv -lə-/ (ame, mw)

manipulative — 形容詞

  • manipulativepositive
  • more manipulativecomparative
  • most manipulativesuperlative

1. describes a person who influences or controls other people's feelings, choices,

1.形容詞B2
釋義

操控的

企圖以不公平手段控制他人以謀利

describes a person who influences or controls other people's feelings, choices, or actions in an unfair or dishonest way, usually to gain an advantage for themselves.

例句

Theo's girlfriend became increasingly manipulative, often making him feel guilty when he spent time with friends.

Theo 的女友變得越來越有操控慾，常常在他跟朋友出去時讓他感到內疚。

become + increasingly + manipulative

The documentary revealed how manipulative salespeople use high-pressure tactics to close deals.

這部紀錄片揭露了操控型業務員如何利用高壓話術來促成交易。

manipulative + noun describing a person's role

同義詞
  • scheming

    suggests secret, quietly planned plots rather than open influence

  • calculating

    emphasizes cold, careful self-interest with little emotion

  • controlling

    broader — can describe everyday bossy behavior, not necessarily dishonest

  • underhand

    focuses on secrecy and dishonesty rather than the act of influencing

反義詞
  • straightforward

    describes someone who is honest and direct about what they want

  • genuine

    describes honest, sincere intentions without hidden motives

  • guileless

    formal word for someone who lacks any cunning or deceit

文法句型

manipulative + noun

be / seem / become manipulative

用法筆記

Commonly carries a strong negative judgment — calling someone manipulative implies they are being deliberately unfair, not just persuasive.

常見錯誤

❌She is very persuasive, almost manipulative.
✅She is very persuasive, almost pushy.
💡Persuasive can be positive; manipulative is always negative and implies dishonesty.
❌The salesman was manipulative because he offered a discount.
✅The salesman was manipulative because he lied about the original price.
💡Offering a discount is a normal sales tactic; manipulation requires deception or unfair pressure.

2. deliberately created or arranged to make people feel a specific emotion or behav

2.形容詞C1
釋義

誘導的

刻意安排以影響他人感受或行為

deliberately created or arranged to make people feel a specific emotion or behave in a particular way, often without them realizing it — for example, lighting that makes a room feel romantic, or a website designed to trick users into clicking an ad.

例句

The charity video used manipulative images of hungry children to make viewers donate money quickly.

該慈善影片使用具有誘導性的飢餓兒童影像，促使觀眾快速捐款。

manipulative images — deliberate emotional design

Amara thought the lighting in the clothing store was manipulative because it made every dress look perfect.

Amara 認為那間服飾店的燈光具有誘導性，因為每件洋裝在燈光下都看起來完美無瑕。

同義詞
  • calculated

    focuses on conscious intention behind an action or design

  • contrived

    suggests something feels unnatural or forced, not necessarily deceptive

  • engineered

    emphasizes careful construction to produce a result, neutral or negative

反義詞
  • natural

    describes something that happens without deliberate planning

  • spontaneous

    describes something unplanned and genuine

文法句型

manipulative + noun (e.g. lighting, music, advertising, design)

be / seem / feel manipulative

用法筆記

This sense describes things (not people). It always implies the arrangement was intentional — accidental emotional effects are not manipulative.

常見錯誤

❌The sunset was manipulative.
✅The sunset was stunning.
💡A natural event cannot be manipulative because it has no deliberate intention.

3. relating to a type of medical treatment in which a therapist presses on, moves,

3.形容詞C1
釋義

手法的

以雙手按壓推拿進行治療的

relating to a type of medical treatment in which a therapist presses on, moves, or adjusts parts of the body — especially the spine, joints, or muscles — using their hands, in order to relieve pain or improve movement.

例句

After weeks of back pain, Miguel decided to try manipulative therapy rather than taking painkillers.

背痛了幾週之後，Miguel 決定嘗試手法治療，而不是吃止痛藥。

manipulative therapy — common medical collocation

The physiotherapist used gentle manipulative techniques to loosen the tight muscles in Keiko's shoulder.

物理治療師使用溫和的手法治療技術來放鬆 Keiko 肩膀緊繃的肌肉。

manipulative techniques — describes treatment methods

同義詞
  • therapeutic

    broader — describes any healing treatment, not just hands-on techniques

  • osteopathic

    specific to osteopathy, a branch of medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body

  • chiropractic

    specific to chiropractic care, which focuses on the spine

文法句型

manipulative + noun (e.g. therapy, treatment, technique)

用法筆記

This is a medical term — do not use it to describe everyday touching or massage. The verb form manipulate is more common than the adjective in this sense (e.g. "the therapist manipulated the patient's spine").

常見錯誤

❌My friend gave me a manipulative massage.
✅My friend gave me a deep-tissue massage.
💡The medical sense of manipulative only applies to licensed therapeutic treatment, not casual massage.