to put one's finger on

Examples

• All

• I thought he looked familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

  Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023)

• I just can't put my finger on it.

  Killer Prom (2020)

• But there was more here than he was putting his finger on.

  Fiction book (1997)

• But the President, of all people, had put her finger on the key question: what could he do with it?

  Fiction book (2001)

• I can never really put my finger on the feeling.

  Fiction book (1996)

• Just as disturbing was that he could not put his finger on the reason.

  Fiction book (1997)

• And I am trying to put my finger on the objective, the distinctive.

  Fiction book (1994)

• I went through these rituals trying to put my finger on it and failing.

  Fiction book (1994)

• I can't put my finger on it, but something about you has definitely changed.

  The Parent Trap (1998)

• I could tell there was something wrong; I just couldn't put my finger on it.

Synonyms

G

to grasp

vsto put one's finger on

146 4.1

To understand something difficult clearly

emphasises finding a precise identification of an elusive point rather than broad understanding

P

to pick up on

vsto put one's finger on

142 3.9

To notice something that is not obvious

focuses more on reaching a precise understanding rather than just noticing

N

to nail

vsto put one's finger on

78 6.0

To find exactly when or why something happened

is used especially to identify elusive or hard to define things

P

to pin down

vsto put one's finger on

20 3.5

To make something exact, like a date or reason

is often used when the thing is elusive rather than only formally specified

Antonyms

I

to ignore

∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

O

to overlook

243 2.9

To not notice someone or something you should see

How Precisely

to pinpoint

123 4.0

to put one's finger on

35 5.6

to pin down

20 3.5

to work out

950 2.8

to suspect

925 3.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology