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
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 delicateIts soft bristles are suited for delicate materials like mesh and suede, while the medium bristles can tackle leather and rubber, and hard bristles are built for tougher surfaces like outsoles.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Aug. 2026 From perfectly bridal pajama sets to sweet robes to delicate nightgowns both long and short, here are 24 options to consider.—
Lea Donenberg,
Vogue,
18 Aug. 2026 Glass is also significantly lighter than crystal, even though crystal can be much thinner and more delicate.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
18 Aug. 2026 These thrusters offer long endurance, maneuverability, and cold resistance without disturbing delicate surface layers.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for delicate
Clinicians found real value in cases involving subtle fractures in the knees, feet and other extremities, where conventional X-ray findings were inconclusive or missed the fracture altogether.
—
Erez Meltzer,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2026
Then there are the subtle vanilla notes like those found in Orb Oils’s Lenny fragrance, matcha in Le Labo’s, or, say, Flamingo Estate’s Prinsesstårta roll-on captures notes of marzipan like a slice of Sant Ambroeus Princess cake.
Those could include remote sensors, autonomous underwater vehicles and other equipment that requires persistent, low-visibility power in remote and sensitive offshore and coastal environments, as well as power resiliency for forward military bases.
—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Aug. 2026
Musk’s officials infiltrated department after department, canceling contracts, firing employees, viewing sensitive data, and kneecapping programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as foreign aid.
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.
—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
7 Aug. 2026
The visual essay below features virtuoso examples of the techniques that designers have used to replicate the ideals of classical dress over the years, including draping, pleating, twisting, and wrapping.
Fiber-optic cables—the same technology that carries much of today’s internet traffic—can transmit fragile quantum information over long distances.
—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Aug. 2026
The country is mired in a war with Iran with no graceful exit opportunities; a new round of tariffs threatens to further disrupt fragile global trade relations; and the domestic economy faces inflation combined with paltry growth.
Without careful planning to reduce the constellations’ brightness, the team found that, in the most extreme case, the satellites could outnumber visible stars by a factor of 100.
—
Arielle Frommer,
Scientific American,
20 Aug. 2026
Maneuvering in tight spaces requires careful judgment of each individual case — and not just about which body part is least likely to cause offense when brought into close proximity to a fellow diner.
Yeah, just continue and figure out elegant ways to catch up with everyone, like catch up with what’s been happening in the last year.
—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Aug. 2026
The couple recently tied the knot in an elegant ceremony in Sicily at the historic Villa Valguarnera near Palermo on June 6, after officially marrying in London’s Marylebone Town Hall in advance.
The heat has caused a fall in nuclear generation, with power plants forced to shut down or reduce production across the region, while wind power generation has been weak over the summer.
—
Jenni Reid,
CNBC,
27 Aug. 2026
The state financial watchdog attributed the disbursement problems to administrative delays, weak project management, and late counterpart funding from the Congolese government.
Copy Citation
