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 delicateThere’s a nice bitter chocolate flavor that’s blunted perfectly by the brownies’ delicate sweetness.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2026 Summer squash stuffed pasta at BoccaLupo House-made, delicate parcels of pasta are stuffed with tender summer squash, tasting nostalgically like a Southern squash casserole, all wrapped into a single bite.—
Angela Hansberger,
AJC.com,
6 Sep. 2026 For best results, add delicate vegetables in the final 20 to 30 minutes of cooking to preserve color and freshness.—
Anne Wolf,
Martha Stewart,
6 Sep. 2026 As its sunlit side turns farther away from Earth, that crescent grows thinner and longer, becoming a delicate arc of brilliant light.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for delicate
That possibility, however subtle, may have helped drive the legal chaos that unfolded in Baton Rouge just 48 hours before LSU was scheduled to take the field.
—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2026
Birdseye maple recurs as a detail on furniture and banisters, along with subtle copper details and velvet seating.
Tehran has no intention of backing down in the face of an American naval blockade and attacks on its oil tankers, said the official, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters.
—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Sep. 2026
Meanwhile, the timing of the September meeting is politically sensitive, arriving just ahead of the US midterms.
Bellow felt an affinity with Kennedy’s combination of low-life high jinks, human frailty, and virtuoso style.
—
Cynthia Zarin,
Harpers Magazine,
1 Sep. 2026
The 2003 recording that appears on 2009’s The Live Anthology box set is eight minutes long, with a virtuoso performance by keyboardist Benmont Tench on the lengthy instrumental bridge.
The Challenges of Caring for a Fireclay Sink However, the same gleaming surface that makes a fireclay sink an anchor of your kitchen design requires a more intentional, careful cleaning routine than some other materials.
—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
10 Sep. 2026
The premise couldn’t be simpler, though Wollner’s incredible prologue — a careful arrangement of low-event long takes that emphasize how people move through spaces in time — trains our eyes to privilege texture over incident.
Specs AccordionItemContainerButton Upsides AccordionItemContainerButton Downsides Instead of constantly kicking that pile of shoes to the side by your entryway, give them an elegant home with this tilt-out storage cabinet.
The New York Times recently showcased 41 of the greatest Mexican restaurants across the country, from taco trucks to elegant eateries with tasting menus.
The Falcons’ season begins this weekend; one that most are considering an evaluation year with an outside chance at playoff contention in a weak division.
—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
9 Sep. 2026
Palace are probably weaker at centre-back overall, though, and two loans are not ideal.
There's also a small flip up carry loop, which is a nice feature for a bottle with a comparably wide diameter.
—
Emily Farris,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 Sep. 2026
Nor are there many studios with two full baths, a nice perk owed to the combination of two apartments and potentially a key to relationship harmony in the mornings.
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