Manage — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈma-nij/ man·age

Meaning & Definition of Manage

Manage (verb)

  1. to handle or direct with a degree of skill
  2. to exercise executive, administrative, and supervisory direction of
  3. to treat with care, husband

Manage (noun)

  1. the schooling or handling of a horse
  2. a riding school
  3. the action and paces of a trained riding horse

Manage (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently

    "as usual, she managed the crisis with a minimum of fuss"

    similar: address, contend (with), cope (with), field, grapple (with), hack, handle, maneuver, manipulate, negotiate, play, swing, take, treat, come to grips with, have a grip on
    related: engineer, finesse, jockey, bring off, carry off, carry out, get off, pull, command, direct, guide, steer, control, micromanage, regulate, run, react (to), respond (to)
    near: botch, bungle, foozle, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), mishandle, muff, scamp

  2. to look after and make decisions about

    "managed a household and a business simultaneously"

    similar: administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle, keep, operate, overlook, oversee, preside (over), regulate, run, steward, superintend, supervise, tend, watch over
    related: care (for), mind, watch, lead, pilot, steer, guard, protect, safeguard, micromanage, stage-manage, codirect, comanage

  3. to meet one's day-to-day needs

    "it'll be hard for a few weeks, but we'll manage"

    similar: cope, do, fare, get along, get by, get on, make out, shift, fend for oneself, make do, make ends meet, make shift
    related: carry on, contrive, scrape (by or through), scrounge, last, survive, eke out, scrape (out), squeeze, wrest, wring, afford, swing
    near: collapse, fail, fall short, fizzle, flounder, decline, peter (out), slump, wane, give up

Related Entry: Stage-manage (verb)

Stage-manage is a different word from Manage. The synonyms below are for stage-manage, not for manage.

  1. as in micromanage

    similar: micromanage, guard, protect, safeguard, codirect, comanage, lead, pilot, steer, care (for), mind, watch, administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle, keep, manage, operate, overlook, oversee, preside (over), regulate, run, steward, superintend, supervise, tend

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Manage

The most common words with a similar meaning to Manage:

address, contend (with), cope (with), field, grapple (with), hack, handle, maneuver, manipulate, negotiate, play, swing, take, treat, administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, keep, operate, overlook, oversee, preside (over), regulate, run, steward, superintend, supervise, tend, cope, do, fare, get along, get by, get on, make out

Related Words for Manage

engineer, finesse, jockey, bring off, carry off, carry out, get off, pull, command, steer, micromanage, react (to), respond (to), care (for), mind, watch, lead, pilot, guard, protect, safeguard, stage-manage, codirect, comanage, contrive, scrape (by or through), scrounge, last, survive, eke out

Near Antonyms of Manage

botch, bungle, foozle, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), mishandle, muff, scamp, collapse, fail, fall short, fizzle, flounder, decline, peter (out), slump, wane, give up

Word Forms of Manage

Inflections: managed, managing

Origin & Etymology of Manage

Italian maneggiare, from mano hand, from Latin manus

First known use: 1563t

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Manage

Words & Phrases Containing Manage

stage-manage, comanage

Frequently Asked Questions about Manage

What does "Manage" mean?

"Manage" means to handle or direct with a degree of skill. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to handle or direct with a degree of skill. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Manage"?

Other words for "Manage" include address, contend (with), cope (with), field, grapple (with), hack, handle and maneuver. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Manage" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Manage"?

There are 83 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Manage". Common alternatives include address, contend (with), cope (with), field, grapple (with), hack, handle, maneuver, manipulate and negotiate.

How do you use "Manage" in a sentence?

Examples of "Manage" in a sentence: "as usual, she managed the crisis with a minimum of fuss"; "managed a household and a business simultaneously"; "it'll be hard for a few weeks, but we'll manage".

Is "Manage" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Manage" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Manage" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Manage" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Manage"?

"Manage" is pronounced /ˈma-nij/ and divided into syllables as man·age.

What is the origin of the word "Manage"?

"Manage" comes from Italian maneggiare, from mano hand, from Latin manus. First known use: 1563t.