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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The deal was negotiated by Amazon MGM Studios and Sarah Vacchiano for United Artists.
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Any deal negotiated between team officials and the city will need to come back to the City Council for final approval.
Verb
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Indeed, the folks in Akron, Amherst and Monroe, among other locales, have long awaited the winds of change, which have avoided blowing out the stale air caused by chronic losing.
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Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo avoided a suspension for the start of this year’s tournament after a foul during a World Cup qualifier match.
Verb
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Lagree’s Megaformer, introduced in the early 2000s, uses two sliding platforms and is engineered for higher-intensity work that builds muscular endurance.
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Ys was co-produced by orchestral pop trailblazer Van Dyke Parks and engineered by punk icon Steve Albini, the only time those two prolific legends worked on the same album.
Verb
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On the phone, my friend Monika is telling me about a lost dog in her Salt Lake City neighborhood, a blue heeler who’s been seen limping and has evaded capture.
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Russia intercepts most Ukrainian long-range drones but some have evaded Russian air defenses.
Verb
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In all the stories across both timelines, Dinner said there’s a common thread about memories and how they can be manipulated, and that exploring it was part of the appeal of the new season — not just for the audience, but for the director.
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The other company whose shares were manipulated in the scheme, E-Waste, had an even higher market cap at some point, despite being nothing more than a shell company.
Verb
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William Carney, a man who escaped slavery to become a Union soldier in the Civil War and who was awarded the Medal of Honor for protecting the American flag from touching the ground during battle.
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Born enslaved in Maryland, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) escaped to the North and emerged as the nation’s leading abolitionist and major literary political figure of his time.
Verb
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The original design featured 13 stripes representing the colonies and 13 stars arranged in a circle to symbolize equality among them.
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The floorplan is arranged with a clear separation between the living areas and private sleeping quarters of the home.
Verb
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The fair's conferences were held at the Art Institute, and on the current site of La Rabida Hospital was a recreation of the La Rabida convent in Spain, where Columbus plotted his voyages.
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It was plotted, police said, because Arnold suspected that two of the three men were responsible for stealing his property.
Cite this Entry
“Finessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finessed. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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