finer; finest
1
a
not used before a noun
: good, acceptable, or satisfactory : ok
That's fine with me.
"Is there anything wrong?" "No, everything's fine."
The house looks fine to me.
"Would you like more coffee?" "No, I'm fine, thanks." [=I am happy with the amount of coffee I have now]
"Would you like more coffee?" "No, this is fine, thanks." [=no, this is as much as I want]
That's just fine and dandy with me. [=that is fine with me; I approve of that]
Note: Fine is often used as a response to show acceptance or approval.
b
—used in an ironic way to refer to things that are not good or acceptable
This is a fine mess we're in.
"Those kids are no good." "You're a fine one to talk, considering all the trouble you caused when you were young." [=you should not say bad things about others because those same things could be said about you]
2
a
always used before a noun
: very good
I think that's a fine idea.
You did a fine job.
The house is in fine shape.
This is a fine example of what can go wrong when one person is given too much power.
They make a fine pair. [=they are well suited to each other]
She has a fine grasp of the problem. [=she understands the problem very well]
He was in fine form. [=he performed very well]
b
always used before a noun
: deserving praise, admiration, or respect
He's a fine young man.
a fine musician
a fine mind
3
not used before a noun
: well or healthy : not sick or injured
I feel fine.
"Did you hurt yourself?" "No, I'm fine."
4
of weather
: sunny and pleasant
a fine spring day
The weather has been fine lately.
5
a
: very thin
fine thread/wire/yarn
Her head was covered with fine, silky hair.
b
: very sharp or narrow
a knife with a fine edge
a pen/brush with a fine tip
: having a sharp point
a fine pen/brush
c
: made up of very small pieces, drops, etc.
fine sand/dust/powder
fine gravel
a fine mist/spray
d
: very small
The print was so fine that I could barely read it.
very fine details on the sculpture
e
: having very small holes
a fine mesh
f
: small and delicate
She has fine features. [=her eyes, nose, and mouth are small and delicate]
6
a
: small and done with a lot of care and accuracy
fine measurements
fine movements
b
: small and difficult to see or understand : subtle
a fine distinction
He's still learning the finer points of the job.
Some very fine legal points were involved.
There's a fine line [=a very small difference] between being helpful and being intrusive.
7
a
always used before a noun
: expensive and of high quality
fine dining
fine china
b
: formal and graceful
fine handwriting
His manners are very fine. [=refined]
somewhat informal
1
: not badly or poorly : well enough
She did fine on the test.
My mother is doing fine, thank you.
Everything was going fine.
That suits me fine.
This'll do fine for now.
2
: in an elegant and graceful way
She talks and walks so fine, just like a great lady.
3
used after a verb
: in small pieces
The onions should be chopped fine. [=finely]
plural fines
: an amount of money that you pay as a punishment for breaking a law or rule
He had to pay a heavy fine for speeding.
a fine of $500
The judge imposed a fine on him.
fines; fined; fining
: to require (someone) to pay a fine as a punishment
He was fined for speeding.
The judge fined him $35.
Cite this Entry
“Fine.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/fine. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
