subtlety

noun

sub·tle·ty ˈsə-tᵊl-tē

plural subtleties

Synonyms of subtlety next

: the quality or state of being subtle

: something subtle

Examples of subtlety in a Sentence

The pianist performed with subtlety and passion. we appreciated the subtlety with which our host indicated that it was time to leave: he volunteered to pack us a little lunch for the road

Recent Examples on the Web Henze’s orchestra, too, is capable of explosive power, but mostly the score restrains these grand forces to a stunned, wary quiet, played by the Komische Oper’s orchestra under Engel with remarkable sensuality and subtlety given the necessity of amplification. —

Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023 However, there are two notable exceptions in which subtlety is disregarded with extraordinary results. —

Radhika Seth, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023 Its subtlety and simplicity stand in stark contrast to the marque's current lineup, which ranges from overwrought coupes to the XM SUV, the latter's colossal twin grilles lending it an uncanny resemblance to Pumba from The Lion King. —

Brendan McAleer, Car and Driver, 26 Aug. 2023 Let Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. and senior fitness editor Brett Williams, NASM-CPT guide you through the exercise's subtleties, saving you from the bad habits that are keeping you from unlocking your fitness potential. —

Men's Health, 11 July 2023 Even in a case, like this one, where excess is the point, comedy still depends on an indefinable subtlety. —

Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 25 Aug. 2023 Where deep, saturated shades might feel too overwhelming, pastel paint colors deliver softness and subtlety. —

Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 Nolan cuts his scenes to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, and details that don’t fit—contradictions, subtleties, even little random peculiarities—get left out, and, with them, the feeling of experience, whether the protagonist’s or the viewer’s. —

Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 26 July 2023 The set goes plenty hard, but there’s a welcome sense of subtlety in even its most bracing passages. —

Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 22 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subtlety.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.