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finesse

[fi-ness] / fɪˈnɛss /




Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Against Cape Verde, Spain lacked finesse in their passing.

From BBC Jul. 10, 2026

The center, to the chagrin of many in the NBA, has long been known more for his finesse touch shots than physical play.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 27, 2026

But what he might lack in rhetorical finesse, he more than has in job experience, as least as defined by Trump.

From Salon Apr. 9, 2026

In the second cast, Christine Shevchenko fell far short of Ms. Teuscher’s finesse, but she essayed the opening “Preghiera” movement with more of its requisite lilt and shimmer than Ms. Teuscher did.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 18, 2026

Ophelia managed to finesse the situation, giving overtime where required by law and dealing with other people on an individual basis.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Soft and supple, it finesses the line between elegance and heft.

From Washington Post Dec. 8, 2021

Black bass are good on spinners, crankbaits, and green pumpkin finesses plastic worms in 12-18’ fishing deeper docks, main lake points with near timber, drop-offs, and points.

From Washington Times Nov. 4, 2020

Grant attempts two tricky maneuvers with “Harpoon” and, for the most part, finesses them both.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 3, 2019

“He just finesses it, so that you know how to enable the illusion, and the audience knows where to look.”

From New York Times Jul. 10, 2018

Hoagland would say that now was the time for playing certain finesses, that in the wake of the activity arose those moments that could be manipulated.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Berkshire does own about $60 billion of Apple stock, but that issue likely could be finessed to get Cook.

From Barron's Apr. 24, 2026

While Cooper scraped together the tiny budget from his own money, with help from family, and finessed Levy’s cooperation, Burke promised him they could shoot the film in a week.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 30, 2025

It’s a mammalian innovation, honed and finessed in the latter stages of the Mesozoic era, the so-called Age of Reptiles.

From Slate Sep. 7, 2024

In bright, airy studios in London and Malibu, they finessed what would become Lipa’s most ambitious — and euphoric-sounding — record to date.

From Seattle Times Apr. 30, 2024

UC Berkeley’s medical school would not get over its disdain for John’s studies for years, until the situation was finessed by the creation of a separate laboratory for radiation science in 1942.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

So it’s a pleasure to report that actor-turned-filmmaker Matthew Shear, with his debut feature “Fantasy Life,” shows a facility for finessing a meal that lands the last bite.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 3, 2026

With enough time and imagination, kickers and equipment managers are capable of finessing footballs in ways that make them soar.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 6, 2025

The outreach requires finessing complex legal and diplomatic disputes that have long poisoned ties, but, as the court cases demonstrated, history hangs heavy over the relationship.

From Washington Times Dec. 22, 2023

The very next day, despite an injured shoulder that threatened to spoil the party, Whitbread won gold for her first major title, finessing her victory with the second-longest throw in history.

From BBC Dec. 19, 2023

In our numerous conversations, although he has always heard me with deference, I have been conscious throughout of a sort of ponderous finessing hard to tolerate.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 7 (of 25) by Stevenson, Robert Louis




Vocabulary lists containing finesse


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