Finely
adv.capable, thoughtfulprofessional
What it means
With delicate skill, exact detail, or a very small degree of division.
Reach for it when describing precise craft or preparation where coarseness would matter
The conservator finely matched the new pigment to the faded blue.
Choose between these
6- everyday
the maker's ability deserves direct credit
not when Skillfully says nothing about small scale or subtle detail.
- everyday
thinly
food or material is cut into narrow pieces
not when Thinly concerns dimension, not the quality of the cutting.
- warm
gentle handling or a light result is central
not when Delicately does not promise precision or high skill.
- professional
exact placement or measurement matters most
not when Precision can be achieved without the refinement implied by finely.
- formal
minutely
extremely small detail is examined or divided
not when Minutely sounds analytical rather than appreciative of craft.
- literary
exquisitely
beauty and exceptional refinement justify elevated praise
not when Exquisitely overstates competent everyday workmanship.
Said against
3- coarsely
- roughly
- crudely
It naturally appears in
3- finely crafted
The clasp is finely crafted from recycled silver.
- finely balanced
The sauce is finely balanced between smoke and citrus.
- finely chopped
Finely chopped herbs release their scent into the warm oil.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adverb sense: delicately or with fine detail opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.