fine 1 of 5

adjective

ˈfīn How to pronounce fine (audio)
Definition of finenext
1
as in dusty
consisting of very small particles the fine sand found on the island's beaches

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2
as in subtle
made or done with extreme care and accuracy the fine distinction between bravery and recklessness

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3
as in thin
being of less than usual width use a fine line for the outline of the facial features you intend to carve into the pumpkin

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4
as in OK
being to one's liking that arrangement is fine with me

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5
as in pure
free from added matter that silver is .9600 fine

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6
as in accurate
meeting the highest standard of accuracy making the final fine adjustments on the car's GPS

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7
as in adequate
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards the wine steward declared that the complaint of corkiness was unjustified and that the wine was fine

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8
as in small
of a size that is less than average read the fine print

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9
as in excellent
of the very best kind a fine performance of a classic ballet

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10
as in elegant
having qualities that appeal to a refined taste savored every morsel of the restaurant's fine cuisine

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11
as in sensitive
able to sense slight impressions or differences hearing so fine that it can seemingly hear the tiniest twig snap

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12
as in handsome
having or showing elegance a fine old structure in the city's historic district

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fine

2 of 5

noun

as in penalty
a sum of money to be paid as a punishment a $50 fine for speeding

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fine

3 of 5

verb (1)

as in to impose
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty the police will fine you for driving with one headlight out

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fine

4 of 5

verb (2)

as in to filter
to remove usually visible impurities from the use of egg shells to fine wine

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fine

5 of 5

adverb

as in good
in a satisfactory way you did just fine on the stress test

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fine
Adjective
The Familiar 'Magic' Returns Apple has left the MacBook Pro's keyboard and trackpad unchanged, which is fine by me. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026 The techniques reveal fine details in the sun’s corona, which is white in this image. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026
Noun
Gonzalez, 21, will serve a total of 68 years in prison and will pay a $50,000 fine, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office said in a news release. — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026 Nineteen gas stations paid fines for price scanning errors during the third quarter of 2026, including one in Mecklenburg County and one in Union County. — Eva Flowe october 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
However, in the present, start fining the people who regularly use the high-occupancy lanes with a sole driver in it. — Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026 During the first half of 2026, 27 businesses were fined for price scanning errors. — Eva Flowe october 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Still, these are highly watchable actors, and as a movie to have on in the background while making dinner, Animals — so named for the lawless beast inside all of us, not that there’s much traction in that theme — will play just fine on Netflix. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026 Though critics were just given the pilot for review, the episode works fine as a new extension of one of CBS’ longest-running franchises. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fine
  1. dusty
  2. subtle
  3. thin
  4. OK
  5. pure
  6. accurate
  7. adequate
  8. small
Adjective
  • One tier down from Dithaba (both fiscally and geographically), Kapano is a few minutes’ walk down a dusty hill and follows a similar format, with four generous-sized rooms veering off the communal pool, bar, and alfresco deck dining area.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
  • From dusty heating vents to cluttered coat closets, these are the spots professional cleaners say deserve your attention now.
    — Brigitt Earley, Martha Stewart, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of dusty
Adjective
  • One of Yoshitomo Nara’s largest paintings is also one of his most subtle.
    — Daniel Cassady for ARTnews, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2026
  • With its choppy layers and subtle movement, the cut felt modern, refined, and perfectly in step with her evolving personal style.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • Its thin-film cadmium-telluride technology doesn't rely on the silicon supply chain.
    — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • In past years, people have repurposed the thin plastic from the signs to make school projects, as art canvases, and even model airplanes.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • And while the ports looked okay, only the exhaust side passed a vacuum test.
    — Stephen Edelstein, The Drive, 31 Oct. 2026
  • CoreWeave, Nebius, and anyone that has backing or backstops from one of the major labs, hyperscalers, Nvidia, or Broadcom is going to be okay.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of OK
Adjective
  • Daniel’s legs are so sunburned that his feet look pure white.
    — Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • As a matter of pure economics, this linkage may be debatable.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of pure
Adjective
  • An accurate travel insurance comparison accounts for multiple factors.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The database was developed using portions of a commercially available version of California’s voter rolls that the government acknowledged might not be entirely accurate.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of accurate
Adjective
  • The foods for customer grab-and-go do not contain adequate labeling information.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Abbott bused migrants from the border to Chicago, often without a clear destination or adequate clothing for harsh Illinois winters.
    — Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of adequate
Adjective
  • Murphy said doctors diagnosed him with a small hemorrhagic stroke, which is a bleed in the brain.
    — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • This design improves control over unwanted current leakage as transistors become smaller.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of small

Phrases Containing fine

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finds out
fine
fined
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Cite this Entry

“Fine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fine. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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