General Antonyms:
* Help: To provide assistance or support.
* Assist: To give help or support.
* Encourage: To inspire or give confidence to.
* Empower: To give someone the power or authority to do something.
* Support: To give assistance or encouragement.
* Uphold: To maintain or defend.
* Enable: To give someone the means or opportunity to do something.
Antonyms Specific to Deceptive Manipulation:
* Honest: To be truthful and sincere.
* Transparent: To be open and clear.
* Authentic: To be genuine and real.
* Fair: To be just and impartial.
Antonyms Specific to Controlling Manipulation:
* Liberate: To set someone free.
* Empower: To give someone the power or authority to do something.
* Free: To release from constraint or control.
Example:
* Instead of manipulating the situation to his advantage, he chose to be honest and transparent.
The best antonym will depend on the specific way in which "manipulate" is being used.