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; see 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.
About 2 cups finely shredded zucchini, loosely packed and squeezed dry with a paper towel.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
The mansion’s interior is “not heavy or dark,” she writes, “rather it is light and mellow and the panels have finely carved patterns around their edges.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
In many cases, the bones retained their original structure and finely detailed surfaces.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
West Indies reached stumps on day three on 126-7 in their second innings - a lead of 155 runs - to leave the match finely poised.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Laika didn’t seem worried at all, but then again the place probably had that pleasant reek of death which so satisfied my dog’s finely tuned sense of smell.
From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith
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.
