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
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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 director also finessed Hollywood.
—
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Dec. 2025
The designer’s collaboration with Sanderson isn’t the first time Deacon has finessed British style sensibility.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 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
The state finessed that by assuming his car was repaired after the robbery.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Language was finessed in other ways, too.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Dec. 2025
The designer’s collaboration with Sanderson isn’t the first time Deacon has finessed British style sensibility.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 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
The state finessed that by assuming his car was repaired after the robbery.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Language was finessed in other ways, too.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finessed
Verb
-
Last year, Canada signed a defense cooperation agreement with the European Union and negotiated a pact that allowed Canadian defense firms to tap into the EU’s $170 billion loan program meant to spur military modernization.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Rather than raze the city days before it was recovered by the Allied forces, Choltitz went rogue, negotiated a truce, and surrendered the city.—
Sally Susman,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That last-minute development is reviving debate about the extent of state support for Vanke, one of the last major developers to have avoided an outright default after a broader property market slump sparked record debt failures in recent years.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Porter and Swalwell joined majorities of Democratic House members to support various spending packages in Congress, which included billions for a border wall and in at least one case, avoided a government shutdown.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Marvell’s custom XPUs (AI accelerators) are specifically engineered for these unique workloads.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
But while his own work is marked by coincidences and unexpected bookends, some provided by the universe and some engineered by the filmmaker, at its core, it’s defined by an unswerving faith in the boundless eccentricities and fascinating fixations of other people.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Deputies located and attempted to stop the vehicle a short time later, but the driver did not yield and recklessly evaded, and the pursuit was ultimately terminated in the interest of public safety.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The men, who knew each other from prison, evaded law enforcement for roughly 36 hours, driving north and then heading back down south through Montana before they were arrested in Twin Falls.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Higgins stole $356,181 through the scheme and reportedly manipulated the company’s accounting records to conceal her crimes, according to court records.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
24 Jan. 2026
-
In the alternative hypothesis, the lottery was somehow manipulated.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One friend of mine, a former student, has escaped with her husband and baby to a remote island in northern Wisconsin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Shortly after being resentenced, Thompson escaped from the Harris County jail in Houston by walking out the front door virtually unchallenged by deputies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Afterward, Ruis stripped Yates’ body and arranged it to resemble Jesus’ crucifixion.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The dealer the men had allegedly arranged to meet with was working undercover for the FBI.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His path here wasn’t plotted out as brand strategy or a pivot to wellness.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The novel, lightly plotted, didn’t cry out for a sequel, but Martin’s new Down Time (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) offers a continuation of sorts (in mood at least).—
Chloe Schama,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finessed. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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