How do you use the word "finesse" in a sentence?

Q: How do you use the word "finesse" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "finesse": He did it with the finesse we've come to expect from Tom. His style involves brute force, not finesse.

Finesse Meaning

/fɪˈnɛs/

Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

nounSkill in the handling or manipulation of a situation.

nounA skill in the handling or manipulation of a situation.

Sentence Examples

He did it with the finesse we've come to expect from Tom.

His style involves brute force, not finesse.

It could have been executed with more finesse.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

delicacy diplomacy

Antonyms:

None

CEFR Practice Quiz

The diplomat handled the tense negotiation with great ____, avoiding a major political conflict.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

He handled the delicate diplomatic situation with great ____, avoiding any further misunderstandings or conflict.

Word Origin & History

From Middle English finesse (“a degree of excellence; (of metal) fineness, purity”), from Middle French finesse, Old French finesse (“a fineness; a delicacy; slenderness”), from fine, fin (“fine, thin”) (from Latin fīnis (“an end”); compare Middle English fīn (“of superior quality; precious, valuable; admirable, pleasing; pure, refined; fineness, purity; delicate, exquisite, fine; sharp, thin”)) + -esse (suffix forming nouns describing the condition of being something). The verb is derived from the noun.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"It is not impossible that this bold attempt to wrest from this State and Nation, so large and important a frontier territory; with the insidious arts, and unblushing finesse and chicanery, with which the British pretensions have been managed, may yet awaken the American people from their apathy on the subject— […]" — 1829, Moses Greenleaf, “Grants and Sales of Land”, in A Survey of the State of Maine, in Reference to Its Geographical Features, Statistics and Political Economy, Portland, Me.: Published by Shirley and Hyde, →OCLC; reprinted Augusta, Me.: Maine State Museum, June 1970, →OCLC, page 340:

"When Lovat finally took the resolution of dispatching his son, with the best part of his clan, to the assistance of Charles Edward, a resolution which was not adopted without much hesitation and many misgivings, he feigned, with characteristic finesse, an apology for his march." — 1830, Walter Scott, chapter II, in Tales of a Grandfather; being Stories Taken from Scottish History. […] (Third Series), volume III, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Company, […]] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall; Dublin: John Cumming, →OCLC, page 68:

"Finesse is not exactly subtlety; we draw a person into a snare with finesse; we escape from it with subtlety. We act with finesse, and we play a subtle trick. Distrust is inspired by an unsparing use of finesse; yet we almost always deceive ourselves if we too generally suspect it." — 1836, De Voltaire, Abner Kneeland, “FINESSE, FINENESS, &c.: Of the Different Significations of This Word”, in [J[ohn] G. Gorton], transl., A Philosophical Dictionary; from the French of M. de Voltaire. With Additional Notes, both Critical and Argumentative, 1st American stereotype edition, Boston, Mass.: Printed and Published by J[ohn] Q[uincey] Adams, →OCLC, page 344, column 1:

"The Treaty of Madrid called into action the diplomatic finesse, or rather the low cunning of the English cabinet." — 1840, John Lingard, chapter I, in A History of England, from the First Invasion by the Romans. … Complete in Eight Volumes, 5th edition, volume IV, Paris: A[nthony] & W[illiam] Galignani and Co., […], →OCLC, page 29:

"Kelly and Christensen, and their relentless courtship of people who like to position themselves against mainstream orthodoxy, allow that welcoming signal to be sent without senior players in government being caught on the sticky paper (apart from Michael McCormack, who blunders in periodically trying to court the politically estranged with all the finesse of an exploding cigar)." — 2021 February 2, Katharine Murphy, The Guardian:

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