v. 25B6; verb
he manipulated some knobs and levers : OPERATE, work; turn, pull.
she manipulated the muscles of his back : MASSAGE, rub, knead, feel, palpate.
the government tried to manipulate the situation : CONTROL, influence, use/turn to one's advantage, exploit, manoeuvre, engineer, steer, direct; twist someone round one's little finger.
they accused him of manipulating the data : FALSIFY, rig, distort, alter, change, doctor, massage, juggle, tamper with, tinker with, interfere with, misrepresent; informal cook, fiddle.