as in ability
mental skill or quickness
maneuvered his opponent into checkmate with his customary finesse
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of finesse
Adam Povlitz, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Most impressive of all is the way Rodriguez-Elliott conducts her large ensemble through rapid scene changes with gliding finesse.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Michael Silver, New York Times, 21 May 2025
However, Teyana Taylor finessed Chick-Fil-A into the 2023 Met Gala and returned this year as host and co-chair.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Noun
My company relies on advanced CRM systems to navigate these relationships with finesse.
—Adam Povlitz, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Most impressive of all is the way Rodriguez-Elliott conducts her large ensemble through rapid scene changes with gliding finesse.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Verb
This time, Philly finessed the existing rules and came up with a nearly unstoppable play.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 21 May 2025
However, Teyana Taylor finessed Chick-Fil-A into the 2023 Met Gala and returned this year as host and co-chair.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finesse
Noun
-
That’s the real inequity: not necessarily the text of the law, but the uneven ability to leverage it.—
Jehan Crump‑Gibson,
Essence,
10 July 2025
-
In this study, researchers determined that at 2 months, genetics accounted for 50% of crying duration and settle ability.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
After putting together a career-best season, Norman Powell expected to negotiate a contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers.—
Ivan Carter,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
-
Trump ratcheted up tariffs on Canada as the two sides negotiate a trade deal.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Ten people involved in the ambush were arrested that night or early the next morning, but Song evaded capture, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 July 2025
-
Dexter stalks his next victim (Marc Menchaca) — a killer who targets ride-share drivers — while the ghost of his father Harry (James Remar) urges him to be careful, and a fidgety Harrison tries to evade police suspicions.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
And the company behind the bet was Google, which had acquired legacy phone maker Motorola Mobility and was leveraging its modern tech prowess and vast resources to make the Moto X smartphone a success.—
Verne Kopytoff,
Fortune,
5 July 2025
-
Mexico enters the semifinal after a 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia, breaking a 166-minute goal drought and reasserting their attacking prowess.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
The legislation was driven by concerns that the Chinese government could manipulate content and access sensitive data from American users.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
-
Fox agreed two years ago to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787 million to drop a lawsuit related to the network’s false claims that voting machines were manipulated to help President Biden win the 2020 election.—
Taryn Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Experts say Camp Mystic's requests to amend the FEMA map could have been an attempt to avoid the requirement to carry flood insurance, to lower the camp's insurance premiums or to pave the way for renovating or adding new structures under less costly regulations.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 July 2025
-
While every Italian city is unique in its own ways, there are a couple of ways to avoid being marked as a tourist on your next trip to sample La Dolce Vita.—
Asia London Palomba,
Travel + Leisure,
12 July 2025
Noun
-
Woodrow has emerged as one of the best linemen in the area, which has recently become loaded with O-line talent.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
-
Stalter, meanwhile, has spent the last few years on Hacks playing Hollywood assistant turned talent manager Kayla, a character with a lack of self-awareness that rivals Hannah’s.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
The other member of the trio, Kosmos 2583, released its sub-satellite and maneuvered around it for about a month, then raised its orbit to match that of Kosmos 2581.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
11 July 2025
-
Rowin pushes and steers with the handle at the back, maneuvering toward the front door.—
Scott Craven,
AZCentral.com,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finesse. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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