nuance

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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

nuanced

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

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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

And the score’s most delicate, intimate moments gained extraordinary poetic nuance from Eschenbach’s phrasing, nowhere more so than in the gentle second movement.

— tim smith, baltimoresun.com, "Eschenbach puts distinctive stamp on Mahler's 'Resurrection' with NSO", 3 June 2017
That right of first refusal by Burns & McDonnell is a nuance on the usual procurement process.

— steve vockrodt and joe robertson, kansascity, "Mayor on competition for new KCI: ‘We will only bring them the best deal we can get’", 30 May 2017
Yet there are signs that the president may not be retaining all the intelligence he is presented, fully absorbing its nuance, or respecting the sensitivities of the information and how it was gathered.

— philip rucker, chicagotribune.com, "How President Trump consumes — or does not consume — top-secret intelligence", 29 May 2017
Yet there are signs that the president may not be retaining all the intelligence he is presented, fully absorbing its nuance, or respecting the sensitivities of the information and how it was gathered.

— philip rucker, Washington Post, "How President Trump consumes — or does not consume — top-secret intelligence", 29 May 2017
From the quartet of string principals out to the last player in each section, the group prioritized expression and nuance.

— zachary lewis, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Orchestra knocks out crowd with one-two 20th-century punch (review)", 26 May 2017
All of those things are so magical about a story and how a story comes together and all the nuances.

— daniel fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Fargo' Director Discusses "Emotional Horror" of That Shocking Twist", 24 May 2017
But one almost fears for the fate of such a sensitive man as Shehadeh living his life in the middle of a conflict that wrecks nuance and reasonableness every day.

— gal beckerman, New York Times, "50 Years On, Stories of the Six Day War and What Came After", 22 May 2017
All of which are accurate but still do not capture the city’s nuances.

— ben shpigel, New York Times, "An Evolving Sports City, Atlanta Chases a Championship", 3 Feb. 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

First Known Use: 1781