What does manipulability mean?
Manipulability is the quality of being manipulable: easily influenced, directed, controlled, or reshaped. In discussions of people and public opinion, it commonly suggests that a person or group can be guided through persuasive or emotional means. In technical contexts, it can describe how readily a material or object can be shaped without being damaged. The word is formal and often has a slightly critical implication, particularly when applied to audiences, voters, or other groups. It is useful when discussing power and influence because it shifts attention from the person doing the manipulating to the susceptibility of the person or thing being manipulated.
nounThe quality of being manipulable, especially of being easily influenced, controlled, or shaped for a particular purpose.
- The quality or condition of being manipulable.
"The negotiator's success depended on his awareness of the manipulability of public opinion."
"The manipulability of the material made it ideal for the sculpture."
"He underestimated the manipulability of an audience primed by a powerful speaker."
The plural is uncommon, as the word is usually used in the singular or in the form “a manipulability.”
"The study compared the manipulabilities of different materials."
Manipulability describes the hidden handhold others may find in our decisions, our materials, or our assumptions.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does manipulability come from?
Manipulability derives from the Latin manipulare, meaning to handle or manage, which comes from manipulus, a hand or handful. The English verb manipulate developed from this root in the early 19th century, first referring to handling or managing something and later acquiring the sense of influencing or controlling others. Manipulation, manipulative, and manipulability were formed from the same Latin-derived family.
Related word forms
How manipulability is actually used
The word is relatively formal and is especially common in discussions of psychology, politics, materials, and design. It often carries a mildly critical tone when referring to people or public opinion, suggesting susceptibility to influence or control.
Easily confused with manipulability
Manipulability is the quality of being easy to control or influence, whereas manipulation is the act of controlling or influencing someone or something.