finger

noun

fin·ger | \ ˈfiŋ-gər

Definition of finger

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : any of the five terminating members of the hand : a digit of the forelimb especially : one other than the thumb

2a : something that resembles a finger a narrow finger of land

b : a part of a glove into which a finger is inserted

c : a projecting piece (such as a pawl for a ratchet) brought into contact with an object to affect its motion

3 : the breadth of a finger

4 : interest, share —often used in the phrase have a finger in the pie

5 : bird sense 10 —usually used with the

finger

verb

fingered; fingering\ ˈfiŋ-g(ə-)riŋ

Definition of finger (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to touch or feel with the fingers

2a : to play (a musical instrument) with the fingers

b : to play (notes, chords, etc.) with a specific fingering

c : to mark the notes of (a music score) as a guide in playing

3 : to point out : identify

4 : to extend into or penetrate in the shape of a finger

intransitive verb

1 : to touch or handle something

2a : to use the fingers in playing a musical instrument

b : to have a certain fingering —used of a musical instrument

3 : to extend in the shape or manner of a finger

Other Words from finger Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about finger

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of finger in a Sentence

Noun

Don't stick your fingers in the cookie batter! He slipped the ring onto her finger. The baby held onto my thumb with her tiny fingers. She ran her fingers through his hair. He drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. a finger of land extending into the sea She was so mad, she gave him the finger. Some angry driver flipped me the finger on the highway this morning.

Verb

He was fingered as a suspect. thus far authorities haven't been able to finger the person who's been lighting fires around town

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The primary way your body keeps food particles, bacteria, and toxins—actual toxins—inside the intestines (and outside the bloodstream) is thanks to the intestinal membrane, which is lined with finger-like villi, Dr. Singh explains. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Leaky Gut Syndrome Isn’t an Official Diagnosis, but the Symptoms Are Real," 19 Mar. 2019 Many brake pads have a small finger of spring steel that will scrape on the disc as the pad reaches its wear limit. — Mike Allen, Popular Mechanics, "How to Fix Squeaky Brakes," 14 Mar. 2019 With the HoloLens 2, all ten fingers are tracked, letting a presenter play a virtual piano. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Microsoft launches HoloLens 2 with a strong business bent," 24 Feb. 2019 While a user’s finger is placed on the pad, the app pops up an in-app purchase payment request for sums of money like $99.99. — Chaim Gartenberg, The Verge, "Scammy iOS apps used Touch ID to push users toward $99 payouts," 3 Dec. 2018 Cut asparagus spears with a sharp knife or snap off the spears at, or right below, ground level with your fingers. — The Editors, Good Housekeeping, "How to Grow Garden-Fresh Asparagus," 19 Aug. 2018 The male student, according to the lawsuit, also allegedly forced his hand down the girl’s pants, penetrated her with his fingers and grabbed her breasts. — Debbie Truong, Washington Post, "Fairfax system rejects former student’s assault claim, calls it ‘sexual encounter’," 4 July 2018 Suddenly, small children who have been happily running around are gently asked to leave, guided to the gates by a malang, the caretaker of the shrine, who has messy hair and at least a dozen shiny rings on his fingers. — Maija Liuhto, Longreads, "A Music So Beautiful the Birds Fell from the Trees," 28 June 2018 With your fingers: Place one fake lash on top of your natural eyelashes, as close to the lash line as possible. — Zoë Weiner, Teen Vogue, "How to Apply Magnetic Lashes," 8 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Though he was fingered in ’09 by The New York Times as appearing on a list of players who failed what was supposed to be an anonymous round of PED testing in ’03, Commissioner Rob Manfred cautioned in ’16 against drawing conclusions from that. — SI.com, "Exiled by the Cubs, Sammy Sosa Is Enjoying the Life He Wants You to See," 27 June 2018 If anything, this beloved, prolific Japanese auteur had pulled off an upset as stealthy and light-fingered as his movie, which follows a makeshift family of supermarket thieves dwelling in cramped but loving quarters. — Justin Chang, latimes.com, "The wonderful, improbable Palme d'Or triumph of Hirokazu Kore-eda's 'Shoplifters' at Cannes," 21 May 2018 An elderly Oregon man in a nursing home was nearly fingered as the Golden State Killer last year after investigators assigned to the sensational cold case tracked him down through a DNA genealogy website, it was reported Saturday. — Fox News, "'Golden State Killer' DNA search led to wrong man last year," 28 Apr. 2018 Kuma fingered a loose, perforated canopy strung up by one of his students and discussed it briefly with him. — Nikil Saval, New York Times, "Kengo Kuma’s Architecture of the Future," 15 Feb. 2018 Its rules place the onus upon anyone fingered as a possible alien to prove otherwise. — The Economist, "From dusty villages to Delhi, Indians seek people to persecute," 5 July 2018 Fleet-fingered with a bright and keen tone, he’s not seen particularly often onstage in New York these days, so this one-night engagement provides a rare opportunity. — New York Times, "13 Pop, Rock and Jazz Concerts to Check Out in N.Y.C. This Weekend," 5 July 2018 He was fingered as one of two people who forced their way into an East Garfield Park drug house and shot and stabbed four people before torching the home. — William Lee, chicagotribune.com, "Fierce gang leader went from death row to respected 'Mayor of Chicago Avenue'," 29 June 2018 According to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Alban’s friends say state security wanted its prisoner to finger Mr. Borges as the intellectual author of a drone attack against Mr. Maduro at a military parade in August. — Mary Anastasia O’grady, WSJ, "Cuba Holds the Keys to Venezuela," 14 Oct. 2018

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