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finely

B2
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /fˈaɪnli/

US

  • /ˈfaɪnli/

Description

"Finely" is often used when something is made very small, very thin, or very detailed. Think of a cook finely chopping onions or finely grinding pepper. It can also describe careful detail, like a finely carved pattern or a finely woven cloth.

Sometimes it shows a delicate balance or a small difference. If something is finely balanced, it could easily go one way or another. The word often adds the feeling of care, small detail, or delicate control.

Examples

  1. 1

    Cooking

    Chop the garlic finely before you add it to the sauce.

  2. 2

    Craftsmanship

    The wooden box was finely carved with birds and leaves.

  3. 3

    Visual detail

    The model was so finely detailed that it looked almost real.

  4. 4

    Political situation

    The election result left the country in a finely balanced situation.

    • Phrase

      finely balanced

      delicate, so a small change could upset it

  5. 5

    Mechanical setup

    The engine needs to be finely tuned before the race.

    • Phrase

      finely tuned

      adjusted very carefully for the best result

See also

adverbwith delicate detail, skill, or precision

Similar

Shades of meaning

Contrast

Used with (collocations)

  • finely crafted
  • finely tuned
  • finely detailed
  • finely balanced

Word family

Explore

  • precision
  • craftsmanship

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • finelyadverb