nuance

American  

[noo-ahns, nyoo-, noo-ahns, nyoo-, ny-ahns] / ˈnu ɑns, ˈnyu-, nuˈɑns, nyu-, nüˈɑ̃s /

noun

plural

nuances

1. a subtle difference or distinction in expression, meaning, response, etc.

   Synonyms:

   refinement, nicety, subtlety, shading, shade

2. a very slight difference or variation in color or tone.

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verb (used with object)

nuanced, nuancing

1. to give nuance to; to color.

   She carefully nuanced her words, to put a positive spin on the situation.

nuance British  

/ njuːˈɑːns, ˈnjuːɑːns /

noun

1. a subtle difference in colour, meaning, tone, etc; a shade or graduation

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verb

1. to give subtle differences to

   carefully nuanced words

nuance Cultural  

1. A fine shade of meaning: “I liked the film, but I know I missed some of its nuances.”

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Other Word Forms

• nuanced adjective

Etymology

Origin of nuance

First recorded in 1775–85; from French: “shade, hue,” equivalent to nu(er) “to shade” (literally, “to cloud”), from unattested Vulgar Latin nūbāre, derivative of unattested nūba, for Latin nūbēs “cloud”) + -ance noun suffix; -ance

Example Sentences

It is an unusually nuanced take on a subject that too often generates reflexive fulminating or fawning, and a truly auspicious start to the New Museum’s new chapter.

From The Wall Street Journal

But it’s important to recognize that AI can only respond based on what it’s given, and it doesn’t understand personal priorities or emotional nuance.

From MarketWatch

She started off strong, rich and nuanced in Dejanira’s bleak lament about her husband’s long absence and her beatific vision of their future together after death.

From The Wall Street Journal

The findings, published in the Rutgers Business Review, highlight the importance of using caution when relying on AI for important decisions, especially those that require nuanced or complex reasoning.

From Science Daily

A self-described "techie guy," Davies said the platform's current obsession is on giving creators nuanced control over creating or editing footage -- something he described as the company's "holy grail."

From Barron's

Related Words

• distinction
• gradation
• hint
• implication
• nicety
• refinement
• subtlety