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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Few manage to design and book high-end active trips with more finesse than the Canadian, herself an avid sportswoman.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2026
Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
The director also finessed Hollywood.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Noun
Diners can expect 10 courses over two-ish hours, each dish plated with flair, finesse, and precision without being precious.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Few manage to design and book high-end active trips with more finesse than the Canadian, herself an avid sportswoman.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
Trump has a rare and underestimated talent for finessing these internal fissures.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
The director also finessed Hollywood.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finesse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finesse
Noun
-
Your ability to adapt keeps the energy alive.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
-
Those abilities would make Astier a key contributor in DeMarco’s offense, which is designed to be more structured and feature plenty of floor spacing — areas the team struggled with last season under Sandy Brondello.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Despite attempts to negotiate the Strait of Hormuz’s reopening during an ongoing ceasefire, the narrow waterway remains shut to virtually all ship traffic.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Olthof Homes successfully challenged a $100,000 penalty levied by the town in the Indiana Court of Appeals, so a lower fine was negotiated between the two parties.—
Amy Lavalley,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While testing the model, Anthropic discovered decades-old software flaws and bugs that had evaded millions of previous attempts.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
But Inoue used his quick footwork to evade them, landing some jabs back in the process.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Walter was an accomplished singer and Marian played the piano, but Crenshaw evidently did not inherit a talent for music.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Even as a young writer, her talent for digging up interesting stats, along with her contagious positivity and love for the game, set her apart in a crowded media landscape.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, college and professional athletes have also been caught trying to manipulate prediction markets as online sports betting has exploded.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
For decades, people have used tools such as Photoshop to manipulate digital imagery.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Wrobleski is scheduled to start Sunday, as the Dodgers try to avoid a three-game sweep.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
-
Instead, remove selective branches from the center of the plant to ensure good airflow and avoid mildew.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
For King Charles, the trip will be a test of his diplomatic prowess.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
There were no lies told about this team’s postseason prowess.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Elodea cells were small enough for the particular assemblage of chloroplasts within to pack themselves tightly to absorb maximum light, and large enough for chloroplasts to maneuver around one another to avoid it when needed.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
4 May 2026
-
Tight waterways also make escorting convoys problematic, as there is little room to maneuver to avoid threats.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finesse. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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