FINESSE Synonyms: 165 Similar and Opposite Words

finesse 1 of 2

noun

fə-ˈnes

Definition of finesse

as in ability

mental skill or quickness maneuvered his opponent into checkmate with his customary finesse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

finesse

2 of 2

verb

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of finesse

Noun

Pierre and Chandler play off each other with gusto and finesse. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026 Instead, in their wake, the league veered far in the other direction, taking the finesse out of the game and turning on-court play into a street fight, with officials unable or unwilling to get their arms round the physicality. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026

Verb

This being Nantucket, the team contended with stringent zoning regulations governing building footprints, rooflines, and window heights; finessing the layout felt like expert-level Tetris. — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 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 See All Example Sentences for finesse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for finesse

Noun

Minnesota signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2025, and his ability to play numerous positions keeps him on the roster.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The volume of options can outrun the firm’s ability to commit.

— Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of ability

Verb

The deal was negotiated by Steven Bestwick of The Yellow Affair and Bill Guentzler and RJ Millard on behalf of Obscured Releasing.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
If the lockout does go through all of 2027, do players not accrue any service time or will that be something that is negotiated/resolved when a deal is ultimately reached?

— Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of negotiate

Verb

Those risks include scenarios in which AI could help create chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, autonomously carry out serious cyberattacks, or evade human control.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
The father-daughter duo has set up shop ensconced in the woods, herding donkeys and so far evading the violence closing in on them from the outside.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of evade

Noun

The studio has released seven titles that have won 10 Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards, with voice talent including Glenn Close, Jennifer Hudson, Ethan Hawke, John Legend, Lupita Nyong’o, Daisy Ridley and Oprah Winfrey.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Everyone from Sabrina Carpenter to Taylor Swift to Barack Obama has honored Parton, calling out her talent, her kindness, and her sense of giving.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of talent

Verb

In virtually every practice, Rodgers gives the young quarterbacks a small piece of information — how to throw the ball on the run, how to carry out play-action, how to manipulate defenders with their eyes.

— Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
New tools in neuroscience have allowed researchers to manipulate the activity of specific neurons in mice brains.

— Danny G. Winder, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of manipulate

Noun

Hyppolite’s big-play prowess, along with a solid night from running back John Gray, led the way as North Miami Beach easily handled North Miami 27-7 to improve to 2-0 on the season.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, Mikael Wood waxed on Parton’s storytelling prowess in her music.

— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of prowess

Verb

On top of working long hours in blistering heat and returning to a heat island, many Latinos then must maneuver the issue of older housing.

— Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
That outsider status, some former advisors and close watchers of Carney say, is precisely what gives him room to maneuver, with Canadians seeing him as above the grubby backroom dealing of traditional politics.

— Desiree Adib, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of maneuver

Browse Nearby Words

finespun

finesse

finessed

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“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finesse. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of finesse

noun

verb

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