1
as in negotiated
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in avoided
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
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Recent Examples of finessed
The two scenes that were finessed the most, where McKenna’s interpretation of Nicky was most crucial, were his first meeting with Ralph (Winston Sawyers) and his Episode 1 confrontation with Jack (Lox Pratt).
—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
31 May 2026
The immaculate lineup of laminated pastries, like a pandan cream croissant, is similarly finessed.
—
Allecia Vermillion,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
26 May 2026
Repossi finessed the rose gold used in its latest spiraling Blast high jewelry pieces, playing up its yellow gleam under a gradient of orange gemstones.
—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
20 Feb. 2026
The director also finessed Hollywood.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Dec. 2025
Back in Miami, Winter finessed his preparation with former Duncan Ensemble dancer Ivette Sotomayor.
—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
Cruz finessed his way into not allowing a Red Sox runner to cross the plate, keeping the score tied.
—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Man Ray is one of the few Dada-Surrealist cusp figures who finessed affiliations with both movements without alienating either one.
—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2025
In the other, a talented pitcher in a true breakout year overpowered some hitters and, against others, finessed his way out of pressure spots with men on base.
—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
31 May 2026
The immaculate lineup of laminated pastries, like a pandan cream croissant, is similarly finessed.
—
Allecia Vermillion,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
26 May 2026
Repossi finessed the rose gold used in its latest spiraling Blast high jewelry pieces, playing up its yellow gleam under a gradient of orange gemstones.
—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
20 Feb. 2026
The director also finessed Hollywood.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Dec. 2025
Back in Miami, Winter finessed his preparation with former Duncan Ensemble dancer Ivette Sotomayor.
—
Guillermo Perez,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
Cruz finessed his way into not allowing a Red Sox runner to cross the plate, keeping the score tied.
—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Man Ray is one of the few Dada-Surrealist cusp figures who finessed affiliations with both movements without alienating either one.
—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2025
In the other, a talented pitcher in a true breakout year overpowered some hitters and, against others, finessed his way out of pressure spots with men on base.
—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finessed
Verb
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As officials negotiated over how to permanently end the war in Iran, a separate plan emerged to break the shipping bottleneck through the Strait of Hormuz.
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Some, like Santa Clarita, have come to the table and already negotiated a settlement.
Verb
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Malepeai, her co-defendant Freddie Lee Davis III, and two others who avoided federal charges were identified by police as members of a robbery crew that committed violent purse snatchings around the Bay Area.
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After not being present for voluntary activities throughout the offseason, Pickens avoided a contract holdout situation and reported to The Star for the first time since the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Verb
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The killings were engineered to terrify the remaining Poles into fleeing westward, so extensive documentation was spread of the accompanying torture and mutilation.
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How has the company engineered this success?
Verb
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California Highway Patrol arrested a Sacramento man who police say evaded arrest and stole a patrol car, the Sacramento Police Department announced Friday afternoon.
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For years, Heuermann evaded law enforcement despite the discovery of four of the victims' remains in 2010.
Verb
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In April 2026, the New England Journal of Medicine retracted a paper after discovering that a clinical image had been manipulated with AI.
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Predictive markets, like sports betting, can be manipulated.
Verb
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Emilio Buitrago, who was born in Venezuela but moved to Philadelphia in the 1990s, says his cousin narrowly escaped her apartment building during the earthquakes.
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And this has not escaped Justice Alito's notice.
Verb
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First class will see suites arranged in a 1-1-1 configuration across the cabin, each featuring an 80-inch flat bed and separate armchair, plus a full-length wardrobe.
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Written, composed, and arranged by K-indie singer-songwriter and producer Hyun-sang Ha, the pop-rock ballad was created with his friend, Minhyuk, in mind.
Verb
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The agency said the attackers had allegedly plotted to use drones to cause explosions in buildings surrounding the event, force an evacuation toward a sniper team, and then breach the White House perimeters.
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He was invited by Malcolm X to stay in Harlem at the famous Hotel Theresa, where agents with ties to the FBI, CIA and the Mafia, plotted to assassinate him.
Cite this Entry
“Finessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finessed. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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