micromanage

verb

mi·​cro·​man·​age ˌmī-krō-ˈma-nij How to pronounce micromanage (audio)
micromanaged; micromanaging; micromanages

transitive verb

: to manage especially with excessive control or attention to details

intransitive verb

: to direct or conduct the activities of a group or an enterprise by micromanaging them
micromanagement noun
micromanager noun

Examples of micromanage in a Sentence

He micromanaged every detail of the budget.
Recent Examples on the Web They should be dedicated, conscientious, trustworthy self-starters who do not need to be micromanaged. Allbusiness, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024 Xi’s tendency to micromanage also inhibited his response to the pandemic. Cai Xia, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022 Many executives have looked past Trump’s often erratic behavior and attempts to micromanage the economy to support him over Biden, drawn in by promises of new tax cuts, less regulation—particularly on environmental matters—and a crackdown on crime. Byphil Wahba, Fortune, 22 July 2024 The Supreme Court handed down a stern rebuke to some of the most right-wing judges in the country on Wednesday, holding that no, judges do not get to micromanage how the Biden administration speaks to social media companies. Ian Millhiser, Vox, 26 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for micromanage 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'micromanage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of micromanage was in 1976

Dictionary Entries Near micromanage

Cite this Entry

“Micromanage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/micromanage. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on micromanage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!