subtle
Americanadjective
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thin, tenuous, or rarefied, as a fluid or an odor.
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fine or delicate in meaning or intent; difficult to perceive or understand.
subtle irony.
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delicate or faint and mysterious.
a subtle smile.
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requiring mental acuteness, penetration, or discernment.
a subtle philosophy.
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characterized by mental acuteness or penetration.
a subtle understanding.
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cunning, wily, or crafty.
a subtle liar.
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insidious in operation.
subtle poison.
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skillful, clever, or ingenious.
a subtle painter.
adjective
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not immediately obvious or comprehensible
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difficult to detect or analyse, often through being delicate or highly refined
a subtle scent
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showing or making or capable of showing or making fine distinctions of meaning
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marked by or requiring mental acuteness or ingenuity; discriminating
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delicate or faint
a subtle shade
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cunning or wily
a subtle rogue
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operating or executed in secret
a subtle intrigue
Other Word Forms
- hypersubtle adjective
- hypersubtleness noun
- nonsubtle adjective
- nonsubtleness noun
- oversubtle adjective
- pseudosubtle adjective
- subtleness noun
- subtly adverb
- unsubtle adjective
- unsubtleness noun
Etymology
Origin of subtle
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sotil, from Old French, from Latin subtīlis “subtile” (the b of modern spelling is from Latin ); subtile
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Aside from medical ailments, you may sense that long-ago unresolved issues — ruptured relationships, grievous losses, life-altering decisions — undermine your well-being in subtle but significant ways.
From MarketWatch
Because of this remarkable regularity, astronomers can use powerful radio telescopes to measure the exact arrival times of these pulses and search for subtle patterns linked to phenomena such as low-frequency gravitational waves.
From Science Daily
Power dynamics are complex, and they can be subtle, and even include things like passwords.
From MarketWatch
Power dynamics are complex, and they can be subtle, and even include things like passwords.
From MarketWatch
Since its Cannes premiere, “Sentimental Value” has been lauded for such scenes, which underline the subtle force of this intelligent tearjerker about a frayed family trying to repair itself.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
