finesse

1 of 2

noun

fi·​nesse fə-ˈnes 

1

: refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture

trinkets of an extreme finesse

—Arnold 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 places

—Marquis 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.

Synonyms

Noun

• adroitness
• cleverness
• dexterity
• sleight

Verb

• contrive
• engineer
• finagle
• frame
• machinate
• maneuver
• manipulate
• mastermind
• negotiate
• wangle

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

Lemon blossoms, intense minerality and subtle spice on the nose with an overall finesse that is energetic at its core with a long, linear finish. —Cathrine Todd, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Biles twisted and flipped with her usual finesse and was accompanied by an entourage of Olympians performing gravity-defying dance breaks that would give the Laker Girls a run for their money. —Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 24 Sep. 2024

Verb

Scenes like the couple’s first kiss play out with real attention to build-up and follow-through and there’s a confidence in how Noah finesses the moment. —Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2024

The Cynic won and led another club, but when West couldn’t ruff, South won the rest, drawing trumps and finessing in diamonds. —Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2024

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

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Kids Definition

finesse

1 of 2 noun

fi·​nesse fə-ˈnes 

: skillful or delicate handling or artistry

finesse

2 of 2 verb

finessed; finessing

: to bring about a result by finesse