nuance

play

noun nu·ance \ ˈnü-ˌän(t)s , ˈnyü- , -ˌäⁿs ; nü-ˈän(t)s , nyü- , -ˈäⁿs \

Definition of nuance

1 :a subtle distinction or variation

Nuances of flavor and fragrance cannot be described accurately …
—Scott Seegers

… these terms have certain nuances of meaning …
—Ben F. Nelms

2 :a subtle quality :nicety

… the nuances of an individual's voice …
—Michael Swaine

3 :sensibility to, awareness of, or ability to express delicate shadings (as of meaning, feeling, or value)

… a performance of remarkable pliability and nuance.
—Irvine Kolodin

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nuanced

play \ˈnü-ˌän(t)st, ˈnyü-; nü-ˈän(t)st, nyü-\ adjective

See nuance defined for English-language learners

See nuance defined for kids

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Examples of nuance in a Sentence

Between the lines of lexicographical nuance and quotation, Johnson was paying old debts and seeking out wisdom about himself and his adopted city, as well as compiling perhaps the greatest commonplace book in the history of mankind. —Andrew O'Hagan, New York Review, 27 Apr. 2006
In every silky statement from General Musharraf about the need for a short—in other words: limited—war, and in every nuance of the Pakistani official posture, I was sure I detected the local version of Schadenfreude. —Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair, January 2002
To La Farge, eccentricity meant convention; a mind really eccentric never betrayed it. True eccentricity was a tone—a shade—a nuance—and the finer the tone, the truer the eccentricity. —Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams, 1907
He listened to the subtle nuances in the song.
a poem of little depth and nuance

Recent Examples of nuance from the Web

What results is a moral universe of surprising complexity and nuance, one that is true to life in a way that conservatives especially should understand.

— david french, National Review, "A Game for Our Time," 16 July 2017
At the Cook County Commission on Human Rights, which will be enforcing the ordinance, Executive Director Ranjit Hakim said most employers wringing their hands about the nuances of the law can rest easy.

— alexia elejalde-ruiz, chicagotribune.com, "Employers call new Cook County sick leave law an administrative nightmare," 29 June 2017
ASL is so complex and has so many beautiful nuances.

— cody delistraty, Longreads, "Faster Than the Speed of Sound: An Interview with Holly Maniatty," 28 June 2017
The nuances of working with kids in a higher-needs environment are all too familiar to administrators as well.

— lara n. dotson-renta, The Atlantic, "Inside Connecticut's Education-Funding Turmoil," 25 June 2017
The movie painstakingly lays out the nuances of the case by interviewing esteemed media reporters and freelance wrestling experts alike.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "Did Hulk Hogan Neuter the First Amendment?," 22 June 2017
A Chicago sports media corps that often struggles with nuance and patience would welcome the clarity and transparency that too often skips Bulls press conferences.

— david haugh, chicagotribune.com, "Bulls should trade Jimmy Butler -- but do they have it in them?," 20 June 2017
The audio will make explosions sound deeper and gunshots ring out louder, but the headsets do hide some of the nuances in sound effects.

— gieson cacho, The Mercury News, "Astro A10 aims to be the gaming headset for the masses," 12 June 2017
Each term plugged into a search engine, every click on a link adds more nuance to the virtual dossiers that put advertisers on your scent.

— scott canon, kansascity, "Digital Life: Stripped naked by Google Fiber, still hard to see," 12 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nuance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

nuance: So Subtle You Might Miss It

Although nuance is defined as "a subtle distinction or variation," the adjective subtle is frequently seen modifying the noun:

Ms. Fyfield is remarkably thorough in her psychological profiles, giving subtle nuances to characters who are mere passers-by in this psychodrama.
Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review, 27 Aug. 1989

Still, the beloved diva sustained exquisite control of her vast vocal resources, enriching line after line with gleaming tone and subtle nuance.
Martin Bernheimer, The Financial Times, 15 Nov. 2016

Since the definition of nuance already connotes subtlety—we don't speak of blatant or obvious nuances—some might regard the use of subtle as a modifier here to be redundant. But the fact of its frequent use is an indication that the connotation of subtlety in nuance might itself be too subtle to be picked up by many English speakers.

Did You Know?

The history of "nuance" starts in Latin with the noun nubes, meaning "cloud." "Nubes" floated into Middle French as nue, also meaning "cloud," and "nue" gave rise to nuer, meaning "to make shades of color." "Nuer" in turn produced "nuance," which in Middle French meant shade of color. English borrowed "nuance" from French, with the meaning "a subtle distinction or variation," in the late 18th century. That use persists today. Additionally, "nuance" is sometimes used in a specific musical sense, designating a subtle, expressive variation in a musical performance (such as in tempo, dynamic intensity, or timbre) that is not indicated in the score.

Origin and Etymology of nuance

French, from Middle French, shade of color, from nuer to make shades of color, from nue cloud, from Latin nubes; perhaps akin to Welsh nudd mist

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1781

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