subtle
Americanadjective
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subtler,
comparative
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subtlest
superlative
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thin, tenuous, or rarefied, as a fluid or an odor.
-
fine or delicate in meaning or intent; difficult to perceive or understand.
subtle irony.
-
delicate or faint and mysterious.
a subtle smile.
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requiring mental acuteness, penetration, or discernment.
a subtle philosophy.
-
characterized by mental acuteness or penetration.
a subtle understanding.
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cunning, wily, or crafty.
a subtle liar.
-
insidious in operation.
subtle poison.
-
skillful, clever, or ingenious.
a subtle painter.
adjective
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not immediately obvious or comprehensible
-
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
-
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
Derived Forms
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hypersubtlenessnoun
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nonsubtlenessnoun
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subtlenessnoun
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unsubtlenessnoun
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hypersubtleadjective
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nonsubtleadjective
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oversubtleadjective
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pseudosubtleadjective
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unsubtleadjective
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subtlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
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 ); see subtile
Explanation
Something that is subtle is not obvious: a professional food taster might be able to perceive subtle differences of flavor that most people don't notice. Subtle is used for things that are hard to describe because of their complexity or delicacy: a way of thinking, arguing, or creating a work of art. The word is pronounced like "suttle" and it was originally spelled that way when it was borrowed from Old French, but the b got imported to make the word look more like its ultimate source, the Latin adjective subtilis. But don't pronounce the b — that won't be very subtle!
Vocabulary lists containing subtle
100 Top "SAT" Words
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Latin Root "sub" Words
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The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters
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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.
See Examples For:
Every inch of this house-shaped book contributes to the subtle spookiness of our tale, starting with the cover.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
On social media, leaks of impending purges often appear in subtle forms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Atletico Madrid's new home shirt platforms the Rojiblancos' famous stripes, together with a subtle trident motif - a symbol associated with the club's fans, who gather at Madrid's Neptune Fountain to celebrate victories.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Rather than reacting only to familiar properties such as color or intensity, it detects subtle quantum distinctions in the incoming light.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026
Among the boys, tension exuded in a subtle musk, a glaze of perspiration under the arms, behind the knees, and in the hands.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Critics, including the leadership of SAG-AFTRA, counter that the displacement is already at hand in subtler ways, with background roles and commercials increasingly filled by digital doubles rather than human performers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
It’s a subtler way to exert leverage over the world’s most important oil chokepoint, analysts at J.P.
From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026
What draws him most is subtler than that.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
Bad Bunny’s signifiers were subtler, although some may not have contained the meaning people read into them.
From Salon ● Feb. 9, 2026
At least Arthur is a lot subtler than he used to be.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Inflation is one of the economy’s most important vital signs and one of the subtlest to measure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
His 2021 restaurant memory drama “Pig” gave Nicolas Cage his subtlest dialogue in years, while “A Quiet Place: Day One” had no business being as believably haunted as it was.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026
Through the warm friendship of Tara and Karan, the series also imparts one of its subtlest takes on relationships.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2023
“Since you asked, it was the subtlest form of expression known to humans. The first novel was probably Murasaki Shikibu’s ‘Tale of Genji,’ written in the 11th century.
From New York Times ● May 1, 2023
Madison possessed the subtlest and most intellectually sophisticated understanding of the choices facing the new American republic of any member of the revolutionary generation.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
