finely

adverb

fine·​ly ˈfīn-lē How to pronounce finely (audio)
Synonyms of finelynext
: in a fine manner: such as
a
: extremely well : excellently
… plays the hero very finely.—New Yorker
b
: with close discrimination : precisely
c
: with delicacy or subtlety : sensitively
a leader finely attuned to the needs of the people
d
: minutely
finely ground coffee

Examples of finely in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The researchers can finely adjust the final temperature by balancing the two effects. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026 Eggplant Parmesan FAQs Cook 1 medium onion, finely chopped, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, and ½ tsp Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. — Rachel Dolfi, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 July 2026 Crush the pretzels finely so the crust presses together easily. — Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 30 July 2026 Begin by mashing the garlic and a bit of salt with the flat side of a chef’s knife, then work in the basil in handfuls until finely chopped. — Martha Stewart, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for finely

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of finely was circa 1552

Rhymes for finely

See All Rhymes for finely

Browse Nearby Words

fine line
finely
finem respice
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Finely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finely. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on finely

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for finely

Nglish: Translation of finely for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All