manage

/ˈmæn.ɪd͡ʒ/

//ˈmæn.ɪd͡ʒ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"manage" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“manage” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,798 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,798
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To direct or be in charge of.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

manage vs mane
67% similar
manage vs mang
67% similar
manage vs manga
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for manage
PropertyValue
Headwordmanage
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈmæn.ɪd͡ʒ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,798
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “manage” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). manage lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for manage is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmæn.ɪd͡ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,798 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for manage, with forms such as "amnage", "maange", and "manaeg". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "mane", "mang", "manga", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Early Modern English manage, menage, from Middle English *manage, *menage, from Old French manege (“the handling or training of a horse, horsemanship, riding, maneuvers, proceedings”), probably from Old Italian maneggiare (“to handle, manage, touch, tr… The correct English form is manage, spelled M-A-N-A-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To direct or be in charge of.
  2. 2
    To handle or control (a situation, job).
  3. 3
    To handle with skill, wield (a tool, weapon etc.).
  4. 4
    To succeed at an attempt in spite of difficulty.
  5. 5
    To succeed at an attempt in spite of difficulty.
  6. 6
    To achieve (something) without fuss, or without outside help.
  7. 7
    To manage to say; to say while fighting back embarrassment, laughter, etc.
  8. 8
    To train (a horse) in the manège; to exercise in graceful or artful action.
  9. 9
    To treat with care; to husband.
  10. 10
    To bring about; to contrive.

Etymology

From Early Modern English manage, menage, from Middle English *manage, *menage, from Old French manege (“the handling or training of a horse, horsemanship, riding, maneuvers, proceedings”), probably from Old Italian maneggiare (“to handle, manage, touch, treat”), from Vulgar Latin *manizāre (“handle”), from Latin manus (“hand”) + -izāre (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of manège. Compare typologically English handle; Russian руководи́ть (rukovodítʹ) (< рука́ (ruká)).

Synonyms

bewieldcontrive

This word in other languages

manejar(Español)gérer(Français)verwalten(Deutsch)manejar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: amnage,maange,manaeg,managge,mangae,mannage,mmanage,mnaage

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of manage - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

amnage2maange2manaeg2managge1mangae2mannage1mmanage1mnaage2
Edit distance from "manage"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "manage"?
"manage" is spelled M-A-N-A-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæn.ɪd͡ʒ/.
What does "manage" mean?
As a verb, "manage" means: To direct or be in charge of.
What words are commonly confused with "manage"?
"manage" is commonly confused with "mane", "mang", "manga". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "manage"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "manage" is /ˈmæn.ɪd͡ʒ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "manage"?
From Early Modern English manage, menage, from Middle English *manage, *menage, from Old French manege (“the handling or training of a horse, horsemanship, riding, maneuvers, proceedings”), probably from Old Italian maneggiare (“to handle, manage,... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “manage”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-N-A-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmæn.ɪd͡ʒ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “mane” - see the side-by-side comparison. manage vs mane
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list