finagler

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fi•na•gle /fɪˈneɪgəl/   v. [~ + object] , -gled, -gling. 

1. to get or achieve (something) by guile or trickery:
   to finagle an invitation.

fi•na•gler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fi•na•gle  (fi nā′gəl), v., -gled, -gling. 
v.t. 

1. to trick, swindle, or cheat (a person) (often fol. by out of ):
   He finagled the backers out of a fortune.
2. to get or achieve (something) by guile, trickery, or manipulation:
   to finagle an assignment to the Membership Committee.

v.i. 

3. to practice deception or fraud;
   scheme.

Also, fenagle. 

• finaig- (variant of fainaigue) + -le 1925–30, American.

fi•na′gler, n.