1
as in negotiating
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
let me look at my schedule and see if I can't finagle a visit to the museum
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheating
to use dishonest methods to achieve a goal
she'll finagle until she gets exactly what she wants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finagling
Verb
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Actually negotiating who does what, when and how was another.—
Jelena Kecmanovic,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026 -
Regulators claimed the scheme dated to 2013, around the time California Waste Solutions, which is operated by the Duong family, was negotiating with the city to buy and lease land for recycling facilities.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Among the reasons Belichick was not inducted are his involvement in cheating scandals, such as Spygate and Deflategate, according to ESPN.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
6 Feb. 2026
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Cornyn’s campaign responded with a taunt over Paxton’s divorce and cheating scandal.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Senior figures within the DA have accused one another of abusing power and manipulating state institutions, drawing South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog into what is, in effect, an internal leadership battle.—
Sam Mkokeli,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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As expected, the arm opposite the brain injury often has major problems with weakness, stiffness and voluntary control, limiting its use for reaching, grasping and manipulating objects.—
Candice Maenza,
The Conversation,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors claim Sainz Salazar served as a key fentanyl producer for the Chapitos from about 2022 through 2025, helping manufacture millions of pills, arranging drug transactions under armed protection and operating labs that later became central to the group’s fentanyl production.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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At the club, Davenport liked to station himself near the first tee, talking to members, arranging their golf games and remembering who golfers liked (and didn’t like) to play with.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Just a few weeks after intense reporting about city and county politicians maneuvering in the wake of Daley’s death, Talbott was named the Sun-Times’ political editor in January 1977.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
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Its flight capabilities have been tuned to enable maneuvering indoors, whether that's a building, a tunnel, or an industrial facility; this is supported by pilot assistance and localization systems that can operate even without GPS.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Once the design of a vehicle is completed, engineering on the frame, crash tests and components like the infotainment system and seats usually takes years.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Feb. 2026
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Bell is moving into a position focused on engineering quality as an individual contributor, or IC, continuing to report to CEO Satya Nadella.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In 7th place on iSpot’s ranking was Amazon’s Alexa+ spot starring Chris Hemsworth, who runs through several horrifying thought experiments about how the advanced AI might be plotting to murder him in his own home.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
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Fashion Deals If your suitcase is already plotting its next trip, these February clothing and shoe deals are worth a look.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Finagling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finagling. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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