subtlety

[ suht-l-tee ]

/ ˈsʌt l ti /

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See synonyms for: subtlety / subtleties on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural sub·tle·ties.

the state or quality of being subtle.

delicacy or nicety of character or meaning.

acuteness or penetration of mind; delicacy of discrimination.

a fine-drawn distinction; refinement of reasoning: the subtleties of logic.

something subtle.

History/Historical. an elaborate confection, ornate in construction and ornamentation, sometimes edible but more often made and used as a decoration for a table or buffet.

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Origin of subtlety

1300–50; Middle English subtelte, sutilte<Old French sutilte<Latin subtīlitāt- (stem of subtīlitās) fineness, equivalent to subtīli(s) subtile + -tāt--ty²

OTHER WORDS FROM subtlety

hy·per·sub·tle·ty, nounnon·sub·tle·ty, noun, plural non·sub·tle·ties.o·ver·sub·tle·ty, noun, plural o·ver·sub·tle·ties.

Words nearby subtlety

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

How to use subtlety in a sentence

VR is being used in podcast production because it captures “subtleties, gestures and warmth” that are lost in distanced interaction, says Karolina Komarnicka, of The Leadership Network’s The Real Place podcast.
‘An immediate sense of co-presence’: Firms turn to VR as bridge for in-person connections at conferences, events|Jessica Davies|April 5, 2021|Digiday
Many subtleties of spirits do disappear in drinks, and individual palates may be more or less sensitive to such subtleties.
In Irish whiskey’s resurgence, individuality reigns. Here’s how to celebrate it in cocktails.|M. Carrie Allan|March 12, 2021|Washington Post
In Firth and Tucci, he has two such gifted collaborators that he can trust them completely to honor the subtlety of his script, and he takes full advantage by simply putting them in front of his camera and letting them do their thing.
Firth, Tucci face tragedy with restraint in ‘Supernova’|John Paul King|January 26, 2021|Washington Blade
Tools that constantly monitor for those subtleties, such as those found in Optmyzr, make the PPC rockstar stand out from the rest.
Why PPC automation wrecks some search marketers|Sponsored Content: Optmyzr|October 21, 2020|Search Engine Land

That’s the kind of subtlety I definitely want to get across.
How to Make Meetings Less Terrible (Ep. 389 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|May 28, 2020|Freakonomics
In his opulent maroon suit, Dickens flaunts his fame and fortune with so little subtlety he makes Kanye West appear modest.
The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson (And Tolstoy and Dickens)|Samuel Fragoso|October 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Political or not, shown in New York or Budapest, it is a worthy achievement composed with taste and subtlety.
In Hands of Hungarian Artist, Jewish Home Movies of the ’30s a Warning of Coming Holocaust|Daniel Genis|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The violence was turned up to 11, but the message could still have been handled with more subtlety.
‘Fury’: A Ludicrous WWII Movie More Violent Than ‘Inglourious Basterds’|Nico Hines|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But Nicki doesn't just tell us she has a big, fat, ass—that would lack craft and subtlety.
Nicki Minaj’s ‘Anaconda’ Is Too Much Booty for One Man to Handle|Amy Zimmerman|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Without context, subtlety, and commentary, a parody begins to look eerily like the scenario it is attempting to skewer.
Juvenile Misogynist Seth MacFarlane Is Not Funny|Amy Zimmerman|June 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The apparent slightness of these English changes reveals their deliberate subtlety.
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
"Jack wants you to go for a walk," announced Miss Thangue, who saw no occasion for subtlety.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
His quick-wittedness and the subtlety of his character make him full of quaint remarks and funny and unexpected comparisons.
Friend Mac Donald|Max O'Rell
This arrangement was not to Gwynne's taste, but he had developed subtlety in such matters and bided his time.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Accustomed to women of a more sophisticated class, Jean had at first taken her navet for the height of subtlety.
The Amazing Interlude|Mary Roberts Rinehart

British Dictionary definitions for subtlety

subtlety

/ (ˈsʌtəltɪ) /

noun plural -ties

the state or quality of being subtle; delicacy

a fine distinction or the ability to make such a distinction

something subtle

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

subtlety

Origin of subtlety

OTHER WORDS FROM subtlety

Words nearby subtlety

Words related to subtlety

How to use subtlety in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for subtlety