finesse

1 of 2

noun

fi·​nesse fə-ˈnes How to pronounce finesse (audio)
1
: refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture
trinkets of an extreme finesseArnold Rosin
2
: skillful handling of a situation : adroit maneuvering
She handled the interviewer's questions with finesse.
3
: the withholding of one's highest card or trump in the hope that a lower card will take the trick because the only opposing higher card is in the hand of an opponent who has already played

finesse

2 of 2

verb

finessed; finessing

intransitive verb

: to make a finesse in playing cards

transitive verb

1
: to play (a card) in a finesse
2
a
: to bring about, direct, or manage by adroit maneuvering
finesse his way through tight placesMarquis James
b
: evade, skirt
finesse the hard issues

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to finesse something?

If you finesse something, you handle it or do it skillfully and cleverly.

What is the difference between finesse and fineness?

Finesse refers to the skill and cleverness someone shows in the way they deal with a situation or problem. Fineness refers to a thing's quality of being fine—for example, the fineness of print (that is, how small the letters are) or the fineness of one wire in comparison to another (that is, how thin they are).

What are some synonyms of finesse?

Adroitness, cleverness, and dexterity are all synonyms of finesse.

Examples of finesse in a Sentence

Noun She handled the interview questions with finesse. maneuvered his opponent into checkmate with his customary finesse Verb He managed to finesse a deal through bargaining. She is just trying to finesse the issue.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The lo-fi video approach to these interviews, which lack finesse and careful lighting setups, not only imbues with a sense of danger and immediacy, but draws the eye to digital artifacts. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 16 Feb. 2024 And incorporating the Farmer’s confident, somewhat irreverent taste into a house that is inherently formal took some finesse. Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024 South will have a chance to go wrong by taking the club finesse. Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2024 This state-of-the-art technique has, so far, offered the kind of finesse and definition that traditional liposuction only aspires to do. Nick Kasmik, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024 As such, the vessel showcases true made in Italy flair and finesse. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2024 Suman, on the other hand, has etched out the concept with utter competence and finesse. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Feb. 2024 Just based on design, winged openers do require a bit more finesse, arm strength, and coordination. Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2024 South wins, returns a heart to dummy and finesses in clubs, winning at least nine tricks. Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2024
Verb
Everything about the design of this keyboard has been finessed to appeal to the most dedicated gamers. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Of course, there’s a driver to take you the 90-second journey to the central lifts and a concierge, too, who’ll finesse any of your needs, from the mundane to the esoteric. Tom Weijand, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2024 Some time around 1536, Hans Holbein the Younger was finessing Henry VIII’s crotch. Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 7 Feb. 2024 San Jose’s City Council used a letter to finesse its own bylaw forbidding resolutions on foreign policy. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2024 The modern memoir is the proving ground for our national obsession with trauma, a place to gawk at whoever comes through the emotional meat grinder with the good sense and talent to finesse their damage into a redemption song. Hillary Kelly, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2024 When West discarded, South took the ace of hearts and finessed with dummy’s jack. Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2024 Then, Jackson collaborated with special effects supervisor Scott Fisher to finesse the Trinity Test sequences. Beatrice Verhoeven, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Jan. 2024 Rooms devoted to thematic rather than national or period groupings are also good indicators that the curators are trying to finesse deeper problems of display. Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'finesse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "fineness," borrowed from Middle French, "fineness, subtlety, ruse, trick," from fin fine entry 1 + -esse, suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives, going back to Latin -itia (with phonetic development as if from -icia) — more at -ice

Verb

derivative of finesse entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1742, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of finesse was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near finesse

Cite this Entry

“Finesse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finesse. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

finesse

1 of 2 noun
fi·​nesse fə-ˈnes How to pronounce finesse (audio)
: skillful or delicate handling or artistry

finesse

2 of 2 verb
finessed; finessing
: to bring about a result by finesse

More from Merriam-Webster on finesse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!