subtle

[ suht-l ]

/ ˈsʌt l /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR subtle ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, sub·tler, sub·tlest.

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.

requiring mental acuteness, penetration, or discernment: a subtle philosophy.

characterized by mental acuteness or penetration: a subtle understanding.

cunning, wily, or crafty: a subtle liar.

insidious in operation: subtle poison.

skillful, clever, or ingenious: a subtle painter.

Nearby words

subtile, subtilisin, subtilize, subtilty, subtitle, subtle, subtlety, subtonic, subtopia, subtopic, subtorrid

Origin of subtle

1250–1300; Middle English sotil < Old French < Latin subtīlis subtile (b of modern spelling < L)

SYNONYMS FOR subtle

6 sly, tricky, foxy, slick.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR subtle ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

sub·tle·ness, nounsub·tly, adverbhy·per·sub·tle, adjectivehy·per·sub·tle·ness, noun

non·sub·tle, adjectivenon·sub·tle·ness, nounnon·sub·t·ly, adverbo·ver·sub·tle, adjectiveo·ver·sub·tly, adverbpseu·do·sub·tle, adjectivepseu·do·sub·t·ly, adverbun·sub·tle, adjectiveun·sub·tle·ness, nounun·sub·t·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for subtle

Hammerstein continued his subtle quest for racial equanimity in Oklahoma!
When Broadway Musicals Were Dark And Subversive|Laurence Maslon|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In recent days, there has been a subtle feeling of defeat permeating through the camp.
The Monuments Men of Occupy Hong Kong|Brendon Hong|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Vreeland believes that in the end, his grandmother put her subtle seal of approval on his lifestyle.
From Fashion Player to Photographer Monk|Nina Strochlic|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Light amber in color with a subtle sour finish, Fula is one of Casa Bruja's best sellers.
House of the Witch: The Renegade Craft Brewers of Panama|Jeff Campagna|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

For those who have a problem with that, she offered a charming, subtle middle finger.
Jeopardy! Champion Julia Collins’s Brain Feels Like Mush|Sujay Kumar|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He thought her very lovely, and there was a subtle suggestion of something besides loveliness.
The Butterfly House|Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
The arm of the Inquisition was long, its watch was vigilant, and its weapons were subtle.
Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam|Ephraim Emerton
Instead of a sensible and wary man, we call him a disguised and subtle fellow.
The Works of Horace|Horace
And then the continual effort to degrade the Mass, to rob it of its mystery and holy character—it's clever, it's subtle.
A Lost Cause|Cyril Arthur Edward Ranger Gull
"Under the Cedars" was fresh and bright, full of imagination and that subtle power which touches the commonplace with interest.
Salome|Emma Marshall

British Dictionary definitions for subtle

subtle

/ (ˈsʌtəl) /

adjective

not immediately obvious or comprehensible

difficult to detect or analyse, often through being delicate or highly refineda subtle scent

showing or making or capable of showing or making fine distinctions of meaning

marked by or requiring mental acuteness or ingenuity; discriminating

delicate or fainta subtle shade

cunning or wilya subtle rogue

operating or executed in secreta subtle intrigue

Derived Forms

subtleness, nounsubtly, adverb

Word Origin for subtle

C14: from Old French soutil, from Latin subtīlis finely woven

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012