finely
Americanadverb
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in a fine manner; excellently; elegantly; delicately; nicely; minutely; subtly.
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in fine particles or pieces.
finely chopped onions.
adverb
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into small pieces; minutely
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precisely or subtly
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splendidly or delicately
Etymology
Origin of finely
First recorded in 1275–1325; from Middle English word fineliche; fine 1, -ly
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.
But it too depends on the ability of actors to embody the biographical weight of its finely detailed characters.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
In patients who already produce normal or elevated levels of endogenous GLP-1, flooding those same receptors with long-acting agonists may push a finely tuned system past its adaptive range.
From Slate • Mar. 22, 2026
This rule restricts how finely light can resolve details based on its wavelength.
From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026
World number one Carlos Alcaraz won the second set against Novak Djokovic 6-2 to leave the Australian Open final finely poised at 1-1 on Sunday.
From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026
She stood at the foot of the mound of black soil, a thin old woman with white hair bound in a braid that reached her hips, her face a finely drawn map of lines.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
