manage

manage — verb

1. to achieve something or complete a task even when it is not easy, often after pu

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to achieve something or complete a task even when it is not easy, often after putting in effort

例句

Paul managed to finish the marathon even though he twisted his ankle halfway through.

manage + to-infinitive for achievement against odds

A small fishing boat managed the open-sea crossing despite the strong winds.

同義詞
  • succeed

    more direct; 'manage' adds the nuance of difficulty overcome

  • handle

    more informal and can mean dealing with something as routine

  • contrive

    very formal and often suggests cleverness or scheming, not everyday use

反義詞
  • fail

    the direct opposite when an attempt does not succeed

文法句型

manage + to-infinitive

manage + noun phrase

manage (on one's own)

用法筆記

This sense often appears with a to-infinitive to stress that the outcome required effort. Without an object, manage means 'get by' or 'cope in a difficult situation.'

常見錯誤

I managed finishing the report on time.
I managed to finish the report on time.
💡'manage' must be followed by a to-infinitive, not a gerund, when talking about achieving something.

2. to have just enough money to buy the things you need, especially when your incom

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to have just enough money to buy the things you need, especially when your income is very limited

例句

After losing his job, Tuan managed on a very small budget for several months.

manage + on + amount of money

Camila managed to support her family on just one part-time salary.

manage + to-infinitive with financial constraint

同義詞
  • get by

    phrasal verb, more informal, same meaning of surviving on limited money

  • scrape by

    suggests barely having enough, a struggle to survive

反義詞
  • struggle

    fails to convey success; the opposite would be failing to have enough

文法句型

manage + on + small amount of money

manage + noun phrase (budget/money)

用法筆記

Frequently used with on followed by an amount of money or income source. The object is often implied rather than stated — 'We manage on very little.'

常見錯誤

We managed to live with $50 a week.' (meaning financial survival).
We managed on $50 a week.
💡use 'on' to specify the amount, not 'with.'

3. to find room in your schedule for an event or activity, even when you are busy

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to find room in your schedule for an event or activity, even when you are busy

例句

Xiu could not manage a lunch meeting this week because of back-to-back deadlines.

manage + noun phrase (scheduled event)

Can you manage Friday afternoon for the training session?

同義詞
  • fit in

    phrasal verb, more conversational, often used with time as the object

  • make

    very informal, as in 'I can make Friday' — meaning attend

文法句型

manage + to-infinitive (time-related)

manage + noun phrase (meeting/appointment/event)

用法筆記

This sense is most common in questions and negative statements — 'Can you manage…?' and 'I could not manage…'. The object is usually a time, date, or scheduled activity.

常見錯誤

I can manage to come to the party on Saturday.' (when you mean availability).
I can manage Saturday.
💡for availability, a simple noun phrase is more natural than a to-infinitive.

4. to be in charge of a company, team, project, or group of people, making decision

4.動詞及物B1
釋義

to be in charge of a company, team, project, or group of people, making decisions and directing their daily work

例句

Darius manages a team of fifteen software engineers at a tech company in Taipei.

manage + team / manage + department

Zola learned to manage her time more effectively after starting university.

同義詞
  • run

    more informal, often used for businesses and organizations

  • direct

    more formal, focuses on giving guidance and setting direction

  • supervise

    emphasises watching over others' work rather than high-level control

  • oversee

    implies watching from a higher level without hands-on involvement

反義詞
  • mismanage

    direct opposite — to manage badly or incorrectly

  • follow

    where a leader manages, a follower takes orders

文法句型

manage + business/organization/team

manage + project/budget/operation

be managed by + person/department

用法筆記

The most common sense of manage. The subject is usually a person with authority, and the object is typically an organization, team, resource, or process. Frequently used in the passive voice to describe how an entity is run.

常見錯誤

She manages about her team very well.
She manages her team very well.
💡'manage' takes a direct object without a preposition.

5. to handle a challenging situation or intense feeling in a way that keeps you in

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

to handle a challenging situation or intense feeling in a way that keeps you in control

例句

The community managed the flood crisis by working together day and night.

manage + difficult situation (crisis/disaster)

Élise could barely manage her anger when she saw the damage to her car.

manage + emotion (anger/stress/anxiety)

同義詞
  • handle

    slightly more informal, very common in everyday speech

  • deal with

    phrasal verb; more general and neutral in tone

  • cope with

    emphasises the difficulty of the situation being handled

反義詞

文法句型

manage + emotion (anger/stress/anxiety)

manage + situation (crisis/conflict/problem)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 4 (CONTROL/ORGANIZE): sense 4 is about authority and routine direction of work; sense 5 is about handling an adverse situation or internal feeling. The object is often something negative — a crisis, pain, stress, anger, or conflict.

常見錯誤

He managed his company's anger about the delay.' (confusing senses 4 and 5).
He managed the team's anger about the delay.
💡use sense 5 for emotions and sense 4 for teams.

manage — noun