Definition of FINESSE

finesse Started Out As a Noun

Verb

Finesse was a noun for more than 200 years before it became a verb. In the early 16th century the noun finesse was used to refer to refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture. Soon thereafter it developed the "skillful handling of a situation" meaning most common today. The first use of the verb finesse, however, was not as a corollary of one of these meanings. Instead, its meaning had to do with cards: if you finesse in a game like bridge or whist, you withhold your highest card or trump in the hope that a lower card will take the trick because the only opposing higher card is in the hand of an opponent who has already played. The other verb meanings of finesse developed within a few decades of this one.

Examples of finesse in a Sentence

Noun

She handled the interview questions with finesse. maneuvered his opponent into checkmate with his customary finesse

Verb

He managed to finesse a deal through bargaining. She is just trying to finesse the issue.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Its youthful attitude connected with young drivers who appreciated its German-driving finesse. — Mark Maynard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "2019 Volkswagen Jetta: 7th generation wide-body reboot," 6 July 2018 The Russos don’t have the finesse to pull them off. — Michael Phillips, chicagotribune.com, "'Avengers: Infinity War' review: Marvel's semi-infinite jest, capped by a sucker punch," 24 Apr. 2018 Watch and see this fabulous crew take on all our challenges with finesse. — Wendy Sy, Allure, "Watch the "Queer Eye" Fab Five Try 9 They've Never Done Before," 28 June 2018 Cardi B never fails to go all out with her hair and makeup looks, which are truly always manages to be dripping in finesse. — Helena Yeung, Teen Vogue, "Cardi B Wears Platinum Blond and Pink Hair in "Be Careful" Music Video," 22 May 2018 For those artists, finesse was something to strip away in an effort to uncover (and to project) real truth. — Mikael Wood, kansascity, "KCK’s Janelle Monae and other pop artists shape the new sound of protest music," 6 July 2018 For those artists, finesse was something to strip away in an effort to uncover (and to project) real truth. — Mikael Wood, latimes.com, "In today's divisive political climate pop artists are shaping the new sound of protest music," 29 June 2018 But there's something old-fashioned and straightforward about free digital content, broadcast through the airwaves and retrieved by antennas with the same finesse as TV sets a half-century ago. — Kim Komando, Fox News, "Stop robocalls, free TV, anonymous browsing and more: Tech Q&A," 7 July 2018 Hundreds of retro busts and mannequins in unfinished-looking white gowns flanked the runway walls — from floor to ceiling — inside Paris’ Rodin Museum as designs showcased the pared-down finesse of age-old couture. — Thomas Adamson, The Seattle Times, "Dior celebrates the atelier, draws celebs to Paris couture," 2 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

But Saarinen finessed the problem rather like corporate architects today finesse the problem of housing large, impersonal, often rapacious organizations in buildings that suggests transparency, openness and idealism. — Philip Kennicott, kansascity, "St. Louis’ Gateway Arch emerges with new name, skeptical view of western expansion," 3 July 2018 Using off-the-shelf components like 3D cameras and robotic arms with force sensors, the robots are able to differentiate between parts and assemble them with a dexterity and finesse elusive to most bots. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "Finally, robots that can assemble your Ikea furniture," 23 Apr. 2018 But even with a unit that was working as Parrot designed it to, the Anafi lacks the refinement and finesse you get with DJI’s Mavic Air. — Vjeran Pavic, The Verge, "Parrot Anafi drone review: flying high, but falling short," 2 July 2018 But Saarinen finessed the problem rather like corporate architects today finesse the problem of housing large, impersonal, often rapacious organizations in buildings that suggests transparency, openness and idealism. — Philip Kennicott, chicagotribune.com, "50 years later, the St. Louis Arch emerges with a new name and a skeptical view of western expansion," 26 June 2018 When President George Bridges saw an internal email outlining these numbers, his impulse was to get the public-relations department to finesse them. — Jillian Kay Melchior, WSJ, "Rough Social Justice at Evergreen State," 22 May 2018 But for this week’s big premiere, Atwell was equipped like a royal with a stylist (Micaela Erlanger) and a glam team (hair by Chris Naselli and makeup by Gita Bass) to finesse her ensemble. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Inside the Howards End Premiere with its Star Hayley Atwell," 6 Apr. 2018 Winkler isn't able to finesse the story's swerves from dark comedy to plain dark, not to mention the eleventh-hour swing into rom-com territory. — Sheri Linden, latimes.com, "Zoey Deutch blossoms at the center of the wobbly dark teen comedy 'Flower'," 15 Mar. 2018 Meanwhile, just as MU was trying to finesse that, it was reduced to seven scholarship players following the suspension of Jordan Barnett, MU’s second-leading scorer and rebounder, after his DWI arrest last week. — Vahe Gregorian, kansascity, "Mizzou's turnaround season snuffed out in NCAA Tournament but future is still bright | The Kansas City Star," 17 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finesse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for finesse

Noun

Middle English, "fineness," borrowed from Middle French, "fineness, subtlety, ruse, trick," from fin fine entry 3 + -esse, suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives, going back to Latin -itia (with phonetic development as if from -icia) — more at -ice

Verb