finesse 1 of 2

noun

fə-ˈnes How to pronounce finesse (audio)
Definition of finessenext
as in ability
mental skill or quickness maneuvered his opponent into checkmate with his customary finesse

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

finesse

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care had to finesse the schedule a bit to fit in another patient that afternoon

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to evade
to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery tried to finesse the blame for the foreign policy fiasco, even though he was secretary of state at the time

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of finesse
Noun
Yet, this will take a great deal of finesse, including pushing through a bill in parliament by buttering up Lord Hawthorne (Hugh Bonneville), who is willing to trade his vote for a night out with Susie’s brother, Jack (Harry Goodwins). — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026 There’s a lot to sift through, and knowing which pieces are actually worth your cart takes some finesse. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
The immaculate lineup of laminated pastries, like a pandan cream croissant, is similarly finessed. — Allecia Vermillion, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 May 2026 This being Nantucket, the team contended with stringent zoning regulations governing building footprints, rooflines, and window heights; finessing the layout felt like expert-level Tetris. — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for finesse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finesse
  1. ability
  2. negotiate
  3. evade
  4. talent
  5. manipulate
  6. avoid
  7. prowess
  8. maneuver
Noun
  • So far, Siemens has managed to persuade companies to share their data in return for access to its AI model and the ability to request new use cases.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • If future laws change to allow recognition of AI agents and/or their human creators as discoverers (with or without human collaborators), how might this affect accountability, ownership, and the ability to profit from discoveries?
    — Jeffrey S. Flier, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of ability
Verb
  • StudioCanal Stories negotiated the rights to the book series.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Bock already cut a check and coughed over cash totaling $14,500 in exchange for Jamal negotiating a deal on her behalf with state regulators.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of negotiate
Verb
  • Yet Iran’s regime has developed sophisticated networks to combat and evade sanctions.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Young rolled to his right, evading Aidan Hutchinson’s pressure, and threw a perfect pass along the sideline in which McMillan stretched his arms and hauled in the catch using all 6-foot-4 of him, his toes to his fingertips.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of evade
Noun
  • After years of cruel dismissal from his grandfather, Kang Seung-woon (Jung Jin-young), and relentless pressure from his mother, Kang Ji-hye (Yoon Se-ah), Pi-o doubts his talent.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • There's a comedy club right next door for a night of hilarity with top-drawer talent and occasional special guests.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of talent
Verb
  • This concept turned into an exhibit element where visitors could manipulate the parameters themselves and create different fields of grass.
    — Megan Fitzgerald, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Our minds take in information from the world (input), manipulate it in some fashion (computation), and then enact behavior (output).
    — Benjamin Riley, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of manipulate
Verb
  • Rates actually continued to increase after the Society of Surgical Oncology adopted the guidelines in 2016, even though patients who received the biopsy were not more likely to survive or avoid recurrence.
    — Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Clapp said the firm focuses on avoiding highly leveraged companies and floating-rate debt, instead favoring investments with dependable cash flows to support clients over the long term.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of avoid
Noun
  • Parton, who became known for her entrepreneurial skills in addition to her music prowess, left behind a multimillion dollar estate, including the Dollywood amusement park.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Democratic and Republican 2028 contenders alike have been heading to battleground states and districts to boost their names with voters, show campaigning prowess, and make key political allies across important areas of the country.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of prowess
Verb
  • This creates a vicious cycle in which each new arrangement leaves Brazil with less room to maneuver and makes subsequent deals even more difficult.
    — MATIAS SPEKTOR, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Approaching one without zooming away in a split second requires maneuvering into its orbital plane and matching its speed.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of maneuver

Browse Nearby Words

finespun
finesse
finessed
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Cite this Entry

“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finesse. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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