1
as in to negotiate
to plan out usually with subtle skill or care
let me look at my schedule and see if I can't finagle a visit to the museum
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cheat
to use dishonest methods to achieve a goal
she'll finagle until she gets exactly what she wants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of finagle
Other songs are less terminally online and more reminiscent of finagling fake IDs and getting blitzed on the LES.
—
Lydia Wei, Pitchfork, 20 Feb. 2026
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski likes to finagle with footwork in his free time, studying and practicing patterns that help him outwit defenders on the basketball court.
—Sam Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Jan. 2026
And somehow that felt easier to finagle than this.
—Samantha Leal, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Save them the struggle of having to finagle with a manual wine bottle opener.
—Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finagle
Lydia Wei, Pitchfork, 20 Feb. 2026
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski likes to finagle with footwork in his free time, studying and practicing patterns that help him outwit defenders on the basketball court.
—Sam Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Jan. 2026
And somehow that felt easier to finagle than this.
—Samantha Leal, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Save them the struggle of having to finagle with a manual wine bottle opener.
—Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for finagle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for finagle
Verb
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Despite attempts to negotiate the Strait of Hormuz’s reopening during an ongoing ceasefire, the narrow waterway remains shut to virtually all ship traffic.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Olthof Homes successfully challenged a $100,000 penalty levied by the town in the Indiana Court of Appeals, so a lower fine was negotiated between the two parties.—
Amy Lavalley,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The reportedly yearlong relationship is notable in that, after their split in 2015, Stocking posted and deleted tweets saying the basketball player cheated, per The New York Post.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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As OutKick previously reported, Megan broke off her relationship with the NBA star last week after accusing him of cheating.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Despite the setbacks, Rivera and Nuhfer continued to communicate with Sessions and arranged for the congressman to travel to Caracas to meet with Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at a military compound near the presidential palace on April 2, 2018.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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Ride-share services are readily available, golf carts can be arranged in select areas and most stations are located in or just steps from vibrant downtown districts.—
Karon Warren,
AJC.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But there is a point where the prediction shapes and manipulates the actual outcome.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
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Bronze Age symbolizes a time of change Bronze, a raw material, was skillfully manipulated to create objects that not only carried weight but also meaning.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Finagle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/finagle. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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