1
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
let me look at my schedule and see if I can't finagle a visit to the museum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cheat
to use dishonest methods to achieve a goal
she'll finagle until she gets exactly what she wants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples 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 finagle
Eve and Nick are incredibly interesting characters because in many narratives such as this one — an unwitting couple tries to scam or steal or finagle a better life with rapidly escalating moral quandaries tied to the consequences — the story takes dark and thorny turns.
—
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2024
As Ora cooled her high heels by the theater entrance, Waititi dealt with finagling ApplePay, holding multiple drinks, and frequent requests for selfies.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2024
But the resolution might require more than just mathematically finagling the traditional equations.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021
The slingback style is easy to put on in the mornings since there are no buttons or clasps to finagle with.
—Michelle Rostamian, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for finagle 
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2024
As Ora cooled her high heels by the theater entrance, Waititi dealt with finagling ApplePay, holding multiple drinks, and frequent requests for selfies.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2024
But the resolution might require more than just mathematically finagling the traditional equations.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2021
The slingback style is easy to put on in the mornings since there are no buttons or clasps to finagle with.
—Michelle Rostamian, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for finagle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finagle
Verb
-
In other markets, inventory will be lower and there will be less room to negotiate.Giulia Carbonaro, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
-
The appeals panel found that a defense secretary has the power to prevent a war court overseer from negotiating a plea deal as a general principle, just not retroactively.Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports, arkansasonline.com, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Congressman/Senator/President Lyndon Baines Johnson was a monstrous piece of work who cheated his way to power from his teens on.The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
-
After all, the man lost to Georgia State while cheating.Blake Toppmeyer, The Tennessean, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
And in preparing the music for this album, just the difference of eight years of being in music and producing things and arranging things and feeling more confident and equipped to offer myself in a way that would honor his music, there was a very distinct noting of contrast between then and now.Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 29 Dec. 2024
-
Wisdom Digital Logistics, which operates warehouses and arranges trucking for businesses on both sides of the border, recently opened a fourth warehouse in the area and is already looking for a fifth.Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Composed by manipulating the temperature applied to the element, the resulting shimmering colors and emerging shapes echo the encounters between inner experience and scientific phenomena at the heart of her work.Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
-
These campaigns sought to amplify societal divisions and manipulate voter sentiment in the lead-up to November's election.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near finagle
Cite this Entry
“Finagle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finagle. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share