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
Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 6 May 2025
Lit Motors Needless to say, things have been delayed a bit, due mainly to finessing of the gyroscopic balancing system.
—Ben Coxworth
may 18, New Atlas, 18 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
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
Lit Motors Needless to say, things have been delayed a bit, due mainly to finessing of the gyroscopic balancing system.
—Ben Coxworth
may 18, New Atlas, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finesse
Noun
-
That can make a difference in Idaho’s ability to secure those resources, as well as the prices contractors charge the state for firefighting services and equipment, Little said.—
Sarah Cutler
June 28,
Idaho Statesman,
28 June 2025
-
The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
Deals like those could get done before the official start time because teams are allowed to negotiate with their own free agents once the NBA Finals are finished.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
1 July 2025
-
Years from now, there may not even be a need for agencies to negotiate and buy TV ad spots.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
Cochran drove in a manner that indicated to Taylor that the sheriff was trying to evade him, Welch said.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2025
-
Last year, the Russians began including decoy drones with their Shahed drones to increase the likelihood of evading Ukrainian defenses.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
Shampoo’s grease-tackling prowess isn’t limited to kitchen grease stains.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
23 June 2025
-
For his two-sport prowess, Stearns is the Orange County boys athlete of the year for the 2024-25 high school sports year.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
19 June 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
-
Without an aisle, the box occupants must seat themselves in order from front to back to avoid climbing over one another.—
Judith Martin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 June 2025
-
Don’t say Discovery The language in the Senate bill avoids any mention of the Smithsonian, Space Center Houston, Discovery, or even the space shuttle.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Three-quarters of managers engaged in talent hoarding — discouraging top performers from pursuing internal opportunities to protect their own team’s performance.—
Nirit Cohen,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
-
For Boston, its outfield is loaded with talent, too, which makes Duran quite expendable.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
The front office has a lot of maneuvering ahead before the Bulls can return to relevance in the Eastern Conference.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
24 June 2025
-
Durable, practical, and easy to maneuver—highly recommended.—
Mariana Zapata,
Travel + Leisure,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finesse. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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