requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
the delicate challenge of inviting two people who don't like each other to the same party
How is the word delicate different from other adjectives like it?
Some common synonyms of delicate are choice, dainty, elegant, exquisite, and rare. While all these words mean "having qualities that appeal to a cultivated taste," delicate implies exquisiteness, subtlety, and fragility.
delicate craftsmanship
Where would choice be a reasonable alternative to delicate?
The words choice and delicate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, choice stresses preeminence in quality or kind.
choice fabric
In what contexts can dainty take the place of delicate?
While the synonyms dainty and delicate are close in meaning, dainty sometimes carries an additional suggestion of smallness and of appeal to the eye or palate.
dainty sandwiches
When can elegant be used instead of delicate?
Although the words elegant and delicate have much in common, elegant applies to what is rich and luxurious but restrained by good taste.
a sumptuous but elegant dining room
When is it sensible to use exquisite instead of delicate?
The synonyms exquisite and delicate are sometimes interchangeable, but exquisite implies a perfection in workmanship or design that appeals only to very sensitive taste.
an exquisite gold bracelet
When could rare be used to replace delicate?
The meanings of rare and delicate largely overlap; however, rare suggests an uncommon excellence.
rare beauty
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of delicateQuantum states are delicate things; they’re easily destroyed when jostled against the outside world.—
Elise Cutts,
Quanta Magazine,
23 Sep. 2026 Neutral tones practically beg to be paired with breezy fabrics like delicate lace and lightweight knits, which soften the rugged look of your boots.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
23 Sep. 2026 And in Haiti star Melchie Dumornay's delicate slow chip shot from near the penalty spot to beat goalkeeper Jacintha Weimar in first-half stoppage time.—ABC News,
23 Sep. 2026 Playing Edward as the courtly and compassionate polar-opposite of his awful sister Fanny, MacKay brings a gentle diffidence that syncs beautifully with Edgar-Jones’ delicate reserve.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for delicate
The plant clips feature high-quality waterproof plastic that’s durable but gentle on fragile stems.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Sep. 2026
As China’s Xi Jinping heads to Washington this week for high-stakes talks, the war in the Mideast and fragile shipping routes keep markets on edge, with analysts warning oil could still soar higher.
The Art Nouveau interiors, featuring mosaics and furnishings designed by leading artists and artisans of the era, evoke an elegant and cosmopolitan Milan, while at the bar, the Campari seltzer remains the house specialty.
—
Emma Bocchi,
Vogue,
21 Sep. 2026
Lee’s lines have the intimacy and metaphysical heft of prayer; their elegant recursions and repetitions call to mind the cycles of life, death, and rebirth.
But the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has devolved significantly since its glory days atop the comedy calendar, proving to be a weaker platform for political satire than the Onion’s takeover of Infowars.
—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
21 Sep. 2026
Production disruptions and weak output in Chile, the world’s biggest producer, sent prices to record highs, with the US accumulating huge stockpiles and smelters in China forced to turn to scraps to meet that country’s industrial needs.
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