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
Megan Feringa, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Steep vineyard terraces around Bernkastel, Ürzig, Wehlen, and the legendary Scharzhofberg produce wines of exceptional finesse, often tasted in centuries-old cellars.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2025
The race to dominate the humanoid robotics market is as much about harvesting 3D data as finessing the nuts and bolts.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Noun
Her pace was exceptional, her timing and finesse exquisite.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Steep vineyard terraces around Bernkastel, Ürzig, Wehlen, and the legendary Scharzhofberg produce wines of exceptional finesse, often tasted in centuries-old cellars.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
Assuming that forces an honor, finesse the six on the second.
—Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2025
The race to dominate the humanoid robotics market is as much about harvesting 3D data as finessing the nuts and bolts.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finesse
Noun
-
Opponents argue that too much farmland being turned into solar farms will affect the country’s ability to feed itself at the national level and destroy the rural nature of life at the county level.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
-
China’s response, albeit expected, is likely, either directly or indirectly, a form of intelligence gathering on its technical ability to address US and US ally activities in the region.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Jackson also helped negotiate the release of hostages in Iraq and Cuba, and the two welcomed some of them home at the airport.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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But the university, like so many others – Penn State and James Franklin (owed $49 million; negotiated down after he was hired by Virginia Tech), LSU and Brian Kelly (owed $54 million); Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M (owed $76 million) – tied itself to a bad deal and now doesn’t want to pay.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An all-cash purchase avoids scrutiny from financial institutions and evades mandatory reporting.—
Virginia Hammerle,
Dallas Morning News,
22 Feb. 2026
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What emerged, Jackson told the court Thursday, was the portrait of a transient and calculating offender who operated across multiple states and evaded law enforcement for years.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
All while Bhatia and the Højgaard twins prove themselves at age 24, and while Coody, Gerard and 23-year-old Japanese talent Ryo Hisatsune have gotten off to hot starts.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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The omakase experience is delightful, and Shinya Takahashi's talent is impressive—almost as impressive as the fact that he's taught himself English in a couple of years via watching YouTube videos (all while raising five children).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Fix it Melissa Kingston, who serves as City Plan Commissioner for District 14, which includes parts of downtown and Uptown, said Saturday the report was deliberately manipulated to justify demolition rather than preservation.—
Nick Wooten,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Feb. 2026
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Bills in the House and Senate would ban attempts to manipulate or alter the weather, like cloud seeding.—
Stephen Gruber-Miller,
Des Moines Register,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Division 2 After two one-goal victories to reach the finals, Coronado freshman Audrey Roberts and her teammates used a late surge to avoid another close call.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
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That’s because more of these people are often snowshoe hikers who normally avoid steep terrain.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This blend of folklore and physics effectively turned a cultural holiday into a showcase for national industrial prowess.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
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The California native broke onto the scene with her technical prowess at age 12 in 2018, becoming the youngest skater to land a triple Axel in international competition.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And everyone needs to look out for bicyclists, who drive fast and rarely slow down to maneuver around crowds.—
Katie James Watkinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
There’s room for the actors to maneuver.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finesse. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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