as in ability
mental skill or quickness
maneuvered his opponent into checkmate with his customary finesse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 finesse
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
The concierge team, lauded for their friendliness and attention to detail, orchestrates bespoke experiences with finesse.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 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
Now, 63-year-old Valentino Giovanni Luchin has become known for something else — being arrested for allegedly robbing banks without any of the finesse he’s known for in the kitchen.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
The concierge team, lauded for their friendliness and attention to detail, orchestrates bespoke experiences with finesse.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 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
-
The outages have affected Anastasia’s work, hampering her ability to respond to clients via messaging apps.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Departing San Jose and taking a plane straight to Phoenix, the Boise State basketball team was keen on putting to rest some of the questions surrounding its ability and ceiling.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Such cover is often used in sectors such as agriculture – with pay-outs for farmers when a flood of a set magnitude occurs, for example – and provides policyholders with a speedy settlement, rather than requiring them to negotiate with loss adjusters.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
During his insulated schooling and military training, nobody told Joseph that South Africa’s white civilian leaders had changed their view of Mandela and were beginning to negotiate with him.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Platforms evade responsibility by invoking Section 230 and the language of free speech, while in practice exercising enormous editorial power over what the public sees, believes and reacts to.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Williams has multiple past felony charges, including drug charges, evading arrest, and evidence tampering.—
Emily Holshouser,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And while Addison Rae has been on our beauty radar for some time, her Best New Artist nomination has her alongside other gorgeous breakthrough talents like Olivia Dean and Katseye.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The album's extended roster of talent includes the Rolling Stones, CJ Chenier (Clifton's son), David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Taj Mahal and Augie Meyers (Texas Tornados).—
Mars Salazar,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Over the past year, security researchers have been warning that hackers are increasingly targeting the technology behind global shipping, quietly manipulating systems that move goods worth millions of dollars.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The messages—widely condemned as vulgar, misogynistic, racist, and homophobic—also revealed discussions about manipulating media coverage, targeting political opponents, and casual references to the misuse of public funds.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Start with the bottom branches to avoid adding more weight to lower limbs.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Reconciliation, by contrast, allowed Republicans to pass fiscal and revenue-related farm provisions with a simple majority, bypassing the filibuster and avoiding a stalemate that could have stretched on for years.—
Stephen Martin,
Oklahoma Watch,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Destined to remain a niche luxury purchase, the Galaxy Z TriFold is above all else a showcase of Samsung’s industrial design prowess in the foldables segment rather than something the company expects will sell in significant volumes or drive serious revenue.—
Chris Welch,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
-
For four decades, Megadeth have been high priests—not the highest, but close—in a church of metal where technical prowess, breakneck tempos, and sneering attitude are the holiest of virtues.—
Eli Enis,
Pitchfork,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This enables the pilot to maneuver the aircraft.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The Maxlite 5 is incredibly lightweight, easy to maneuver, and perfectly sized to slide under your seat—no overhead bin battle required.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finesse. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
