management

American  

[man-ij-muhnt] / ˈmæn ɪdʒ mənt /

noun

1. the act or manner of managing; handling, direction, or control.

   Synonyms:

   treatment, guidance, conduct, charge, care, administration, regulation

2. skill in managing; executive ability.

   great management and tact.

3. the person or persons controlling and directing the affairs of a business, institution, etc..

   The store is under new management.

4. executives collectively, considered as a class (distinguished from labor).

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management British  

/ ˈmænɪdʒmənt /

noun

1. the members of the executive or administration of an organization or business See also line management middle management top management

2. managers or employers collectively

3. the technique, practice, or science of managing, controlling or dealing with

   anger management

4. the skilful or resourceful use of materials, time, etc

5. the specific treatment of a disease, disorder, etc

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management Cultural  

1. The body of individuals who run major businesses, usually without owning them but often with the reward of stock options.

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Other Word Forms

• antimanagement adjective
• managemental adjective
• nonmanagement noun
• promanagement adjective
• self-management noun

Etymology

Origin of management

First recorded in 1590–1600; manage + -ment

Explanation

The noun management means "the act of directing or controlling things," like your management of five-year-olds that included fun time, quiet time, and clean-up time. Management can be the people in charge of running a business, who have employees who report to them, or the work those leaders do. Good management is a combination of people skills, shrewd business plans, and probably a little luck, too. Outside of business, management can describe anything you direct, like the management of your health by eating right, exercising, seeing your doctor regularly, and getting enough sleep.

Example Sentences

We include recommendations for the diagnosis and management of adenomyosis in our guideline for heavy menstrual bleeding.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

First, over the past 60 years, corporations have moved away from the paternalistic style of management, where there was two-way loyalty between employers and employees.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

Analysts forecast more moderate growth of large expenses such as research and development and general and administrative, as management moves past the early days of ramping up those costs for its growth opportunities.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Active management, by shifting capital allocation across sectors and avoiding excessive concentration in any one sector, may serve investors better than a low-fee index fund.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Instead of konohiki carrying out every aspect of administration for a Hawaiian district, state governments have several separate departments, each with its own hierarchy, to handle water management, taxes, military draft, and so on.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• administration
• care
• control
• governance
• government
• handling
• operation
• oversight
• supervision