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
Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Brian Gibson’s gangrenous bass riffs and gibbering, muffled vocals have even more gonzo energy than usual, while Chippendale mixes bombast and finesse with his customary flair.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026
Rosa Pyo, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
Trump has a rare and underestimated talent for finessing these internal fissures.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Noun
Eze unlocked the game with great finesse from range.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Brian Gibson’s gangrenous bass riffs and gibbering, muffled vocals have even more gonzo energy than usual, while Chippendale mixes bombast and finesse with his customary flair.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
This no-wipe gel formula comes with a short, easy-to-finesse spoolie applicator that can make stripes, waves, and ripples.
—Rosa Pyo, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
Trump has a rare and underestimated talent for finessing these internal fissures.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finesse
Noun
-
The Broncos, though, drafted Coleman more for his ability to hit singles and doubles in an NFL offense.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
10 May 2026
-
His serves, digs and ability to produce longer rallies were evident throughout the match.—
Dan Rios,
Daily News,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Peace proposals are usually negotiated behind closed doors; threats are seldom made publicly.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
That expiration would allow Iran to resume some nuclear activities, as in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated under President Barack Obama.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Last week, a 19-year-old riding an e-motorcycle was arrested on suspicion of felony evading police and felony reckless driving.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
-
The tankers were unladen and heading to an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman trying to evade a US blockade, CENTCOM said.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
With fashion spending projected to rise sharply, global buyers see Saudi designers not only as creative talents, but as commercial partners with access to a large, affluent consumer base.—
FMG Studios,
Footwear News,
10 May 2026
-
Aretha has always represented for me the empowerment of women in all its facets, a soul singer who has influenced generations and whose talent continues to move us to our very core.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Defense attorneys argued at trial that the investigation into the assassination was a mess and that the four were manipulated into taking blame for an internal coup.—
David Fischer,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
-
Still, the video is raising broader concerns about how AI could be used to manipulate voters, particularly as increasingly realistic deepfake technology becomes more widespread.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The Dodgers avoided their second shutout loss of the season and finally gave the crowd of 50,209 reason to cheer in the ninth when Andy Pages belted a two-run home run — his ninth of the season — off reliever Reynoldo Lopez.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
The Lakers will try to avoid being the all-too-likely 162nd.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
His game was based on his athletic prowess in the challenges and ability to provide food to camp, and hindered by his lack of social strategy, which proved to be his downfall each of the four times he’s previously returned.—
Nic Juarez,
Vulture,
12 May 2026
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China are known for their prowess across a wide range of sports.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The first responders maneuvered their vessel, the Windsor Police Defender, through the hazardous conditions and safely pulled both people out of the water.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
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Apple and Google, however, have more room to maneuver.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finesse. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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