Finessing: meaning, definitions and examples

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finessing

 

[ fɪˈnɛsɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

manipulation skill

Finessing refers to the act of handling a situation with delicacy or skill. It often implies a degree of cunning or cleverness in navigating difficult circumstances or in achieving an outcome through subtlety.

Synonyms

artfulness, handling, maneuvering, tact

Examples of usage

  • She finessed the negotiation to get the best deal.
  • He was able to finesse his way through the tricky conversation.
  • They finessed the project details to meet the tight deadline.

Translations

Translations of the word "finessing" in other languages:

🇵🇹 aperfeiçoamento

🇮🇳 निपुणता

🇩🇪 Finesse

🇮🇩 keahlian

🇺🇦 вишуканість

🇵🇱 finesse

🇯🇵 洗練

🇫🇷 finesse

🇪🇸 finesa

🇹🇷 incelik

🇰🇷 솜씨

🇸🇦 براعة

🇨🇿 finesse

🇸🇰 finesse

🇨🇳 技巧

🇸🇮 finesa

🇮🇸 finesse

🇰🇿 шығармашылық

🇬🇪 ფინესა

🇦🇿 finesse

🇲🇽 finesa

Etymology

The term 'finesse' originates from the French word 'finesse', meaning 'subtlety' or 'refinement'. It was derived from the Latin word 'finis', meaning 'end' or 'limit', reflecting the idea of achieving an end through delicate means. The word began to be used in English in the mid-17th century, initially relating to the quality of being fine or subtle in a general sense. Over time, 'finesse' evolved to encompass the idea of skillfully managing or maneuvering situations to achieve favorable results, particularly in contexts involving social interaction or negotiation. The verb form 'finessing' likely developed in the 20th century, taking on the connotation of tactful manipulation or clever handling in various situations.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,573, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.