Maneuver Someone Into Doing vs. Maneuver Someone To Do
Cambridge directly documents maneuver someone into doing something for US-spelling construction for skillfully or indirectly causing someone to act. “Maneuver” is the US spelling; the construction should not be generalized into a separate complement rule for the UK spelling without checking its entry. The cited entry directly supports the into + -ing construction; it does not establish maneuver + object + to-infinitive as an equivalent pattern for this meaning.
Use “maneuver someone into doing something” for the directly documented pattern; do not infer equal support for “maneuver someone to do.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| skillfully or indirectly cause someone to take an action | maneuver someone into + -ing | Use the directly documented action-complement pattern. |
| bare object + to-infinitive as an interchangeable equivalent | not established here | Do not infer this pattern from the cited entry. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you naming the action someone was induced or guided into taking?
If yes: Use “maneuver someone into + -ing.”
If no: If a different construction is intended, verify that construction separately rather than substituting “to do.”
Caveat: This guide is about the documented complement pattern, not a claim that every possible sequence with “maneuver” and an infinitive is impossible.
Examples
They maneuvered the committee into reconsidering the proposal.
“Into + -ing” names the action the committee was induced to take.
The negotiator maneuvered both sides into accepting a delay.
The documented construction links the object to the resulting action.
She was maneuvered into signing before the final review.
The passive keeps the same complement pattern.
Further guidance
Boundary
The cited entry directly supports the into + -ing construction; it does not establish maneuver + object + to-infinitive as an equivalent pattern for this meaning.
Construction
Cambridge directly documents maneuver someone into doing something for US-spelling construction for skillfully or indirectly causing someone to act. “Maneuver” is the US spelling; the construction should not be generalized into a separate complement rule for the UK spelling without checking its entry.
Decision
Use “maneuver someone into doing something” for the directly documented pattern; do not infer equal support for “maneuver someone to do.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- maneuver someone into something — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Dictionary construction maneuver someone into doing something