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Synonym Chooser

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of delicate Dating back to the 1800s, Brandy Snap cookie originated in England and become widely known for their thin, lacy texture and delicate crunch. Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025 Annuals, summer vegetables, herbs, container gardens, and other delicate plants may not survive. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2025 The delicate frame is elegant and the leaflet details are charming, but not overly feminine. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2025 The approach to development will have to strike a delicate balance, the mayor said. Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for delicate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delicate
Adjective
  • Featuring a subtle kick flare at the hem and chic pintuck detailing, they’re designed to hit right under the calf, or just at the ankle for petite people like myself.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Adding parsnips and turnips to the recipe gives the dish a subtle earthy flavor that perfectly complements the savory chicken.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • However, people who are lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy may experience discomfort.
    Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The key to detecting them, then, wasn’t to simply build a detector sensitive enough to see each individual neutrino; that would be a practically impossible task.
    Big Think, Big Think, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Kirk Baxter’s arrhythmic cutting is designed around quicksilver shifts that, along with Barry Ackroyd’s restlessly attentive, mostly handheld camerawork, allow Bigelow to redirect our attention with virtuoso command.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As conversations continue around Gaza's reconstruction amid the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire, doctors and humanitarian workers are urging that efforts be focused on addressing the malnutrition crisis, noting that simply flooding the zone with aid won't make a meaningful dent.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Vance says Gaza ceasefire holding despite flare-ups US Vice President JD Vance said on a visit to Israel the fragile ceasefire with Hamas was holding, despite accusations by each side that the other had violated the deal.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This careful tiptoeing is probably because the scissor artwork was never meant to be sold at a wider scale.
    Samantha Allen, Them., 24 Oct. 2025
  • Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Softstreme High-rise Wide-leg Cropped Pant has a weighty drape that adds an elegant edge to what otherwise feels like loungewear, given how remarkably soft the Softstreme fabric is.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The long-sleeve polo sweater has elegant pearl buttons that pop against the sweater’s neutral color.
    Melony Forcier, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Relief on that levy—which stacks on top of Liberation Day tariffs—could be a boon for the Asian nation at a time when domestic demand is weak.
    Bloomberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
  • There, interactions between streams of liquid iron generate a magnetic field one quintillion times more powerful than that of an ordinary lab magnet (but thousands of times weaker than the Sun’s).
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • With that in mind, his glowing comments on Jeter paid a nice tribute.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • In her opinion, a courthouse wedding or a small ceremony in a family member's backyard would have been just as nice, Kate said.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Delicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delicate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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