Thesaurus

delicate

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of delicate

1 satisfying or pleasing because of fineness or mildness

A heavy sauce would spoil the delicate flavor of this fish.

Synonyms of delicate

airy, dainty, exquisite, nuanced, refined, subtle

Words Related to delicate

choice, elegant, extraordinary, incomparable, peerless, preeminent, prime, rare, select, superior, superlative, supreme, transcendent, unsurpassed

picked, selected

fine, fragile, frail

Near Antonyms of delicate

coarse, crude, rough

common, ordinary

average, fair, indifferent, mediocre, medium, middling, run-of-the-mill, second-rate

Antonyms of delicate

robust, strong, sturdy

2 able to sense slight impressions or differences

Only a person with delicate taste buds could tell the difference between these two wines.

Synonyms of delicate

acute, fine, keen, perceptive, quick, sensitive, sharp

Words Related to delicate

accurate, clear, discerning, good, piercing, precise, receptive, sensible, subtle

hair-trigger, hyperacute, hypersensitive, oversensitive, supersensitive

Near Antonyms of delicate

bad, deadened, dimmed, dull, dulled, fading

dead, imperceptive, insensible, insensitive, numb

imprecise, inaccurate

3 accomplished with trained ability

the delicate handling of a difficult diplomatic situation

Synonyms of delicate

adroit, artful, deft, dexterous (also dextrous), expert, masterful, masterly, practiced (also practised), skillful, virtuoso, workmanlike

Words Related to delicate

artistic, creative, fancy, ingenious, neat

adept, clever, cunning

able, adequate, capable, competent

Near Antonyms of delicate

awkward, clumsy, crude, klutzy

ineffective, ineffectual

incompetent, inept

Antonyms of delicate

amateur, amateurish, artless, rude, unprofessional, unskillful

4 easily broken

delicate glassware that must be carefully wrapped for shipping

Synonyms of delicate

breakable, fragile, frail, frangible

Words Related to delicate

dainty, fine, gossamer

eggshell, flimsy, slight, tenuous

brittle, crisp, crispy, crumbly, crushable, embrittled, flaky (also flakey), friable, shaky, shivery, short

feeble, infirm, soft, spindly, tender, weak

inelastic, inflexible, stiff

Near Antonyms of delicate

compact, firm, hard, rigid, solid, substantial, unyielding

elastic, flexible, resilient, rubberlike, rubbery, springy, stretch, stretchable, supple

Antonyms of delicate

nonbreakable, strong, sturdy, tough, unbreakable

5 easily injured without careful handling

the delicate ecosystem of the wetlands

Synonyms of delicate

fragile, frail, sensitive, tender

Words Related to delicate

breakable, brittle, crushable, frangible, friable

feeble, flimsy, puny, slight, soft, tenuous, weak

perishable, resistless, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding

Near Antonyms of delicate

durable, firm, flinty, hard, hardy, resistant, robust, rugged, solid, sound, stiff, stout, strong, sturdy, substantial

infrangible, nonbreakable, unbreakable

hardened, inured, strengthened, tempered, toughened

Antonyms of delicate

6 hard to please

a cat of delicate tastes

Synonyms of delicate

choosy (or choosey), dainty, demanding, exacting, fastidious, finical, finicking, finicky, fussbudgety, fussy, nice, particular, persnickety, picky

Words Related to delicate

discerning, discriminating, selective

insightful, knowledgeable

captious, carping, caviling (or cavilling), critical, faultfinding, hypercritical, overcritical

careful, meticulous, painstaking, punctilious, scrupulous

queasy (also queazy), squeamish

peevish, petulant, prickly, touchy

Near Antonyms of delicate

affable, breezy, carefree, devil-may-care, happy-go-lucky, lackadaisical, laid-back, low-pressure, relaxed

flexible, lax, loose

lenient, permissive

indiscriminating, undiscriminating

Antonyms of delicate

undemanding, unfastidious, unfussy

7 having qualities that appeal to a refined taste

delicate perfumes that connoisseurs of scents appreciate

Synonyms of delicate

choice, dainty, elegant, exquisite, fine, rare, select

Words Related to delicate

bijou, jewellike

better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special

elite, exclusive

classic, excellent, fabulous, first-class, first-rate, grand, great, marvelous (or marvellous), noble, outstanding, par excellence, premium, prime, sensational, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, transcendent, unsurpassed, wonderful

Near Antonyms of delicate

coarse, gross, kitsch, kitschy, lowbrow, raffish, rough, rough-hewn, tasteless, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar

commercial, mass-produced, popular

common, ordinary

average, lesser, mediocre, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine (or run-of-mine), second-class, second-rate

deficient, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wanting

8 lacking bodily strength

a delicate child who was never allowed to play sports

Synonyms of delicate

debilitated, down-and-out, effete, enervated, enfeebled, faint, feeble, frail, infirm, languid, low, prostrate, prostrated, sapped, slight, soft, softened, tender, unsubstantial, wasted, weak, weakened, wimpish, wimpy

Words Related to delicate

challenged, disabled, incapacitated, invalid

broken-down, decrepit

impotent, powerless

breakable, flimsy, fragile

dizzy, groggy, rocky, unsteady, woozy

drained, exhausted, flagging, tired, weary, worn-out

damaged, harmed, hurt, impaired, injured, lame, unsound

resistless, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding

Near Antonyms of delicate

able-bodied, athletic, beefy, brawny, fit, husky, muscular, sinewy, strapping, virile

hard, hardy, lusty, red-blooded, robust, sturdy, tough

fortified, hardened, inured, strengthened, toughened

energetic, energized, invigorated, vigorous, vitalized

hale, healthy, sound

capable, competent

convalescing, recovering, recuperating

Antonyms of delicate

mighty, powerful, rugged, stalwart, stout, strong

9 made or done with extreme care and accuracy

delicate measurements that are only possible using the latest technology

Synonyms of delicate

exact, fine, finespun, hairline, hairsplitting, minute, nice, nuanced, refined, subtle

Words Related to delicate

nitpicking, quibbling

frivolous, inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, negligible, petty, piddling, trifling, trivial

demanding, exacting, fastidious, finical, finicking, finicky, fussy, meticulous, particular, picky

Near Antonyms of delicate

apparent, clear, clear-cut, evident, manifest, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, perspicuous, plain, transparent, unambiguous, unequivocal, unmistakable

broad, indefinite

careless, heedless, incautious, slapdash, slipshod, sloppy

Antonyms of delicate

coarse, inexact, rough

10 meeting the highest standard of accuracy

extremely delicate instruments such as an atomic clock

Synonyms of delicate

accurate, close, exact, fine, hairline, mathematical, pinpoint, precise, refined, rigorous, spot-on

Words Related to delicate

correct, right, strict, true

definite, definitive

careful, fastidious, finical, finicky, meticulous

Near Antonyms of delicate

approximate, round

false, incorrect, untrue, wrong

careless, loose

indefinite, unclear, vague

doubtful, dubious, questionable, unreliable, untrustworthy

Antonyms of delicate

coarse, imprecise, inaccurate, inexact, rough

11 not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect

A delicate breeze was floating in from the open window.

Synonyms of delicate

balmy, benign, bland, gentle, light, mellow, mild, nonabrasive, soft, soothing, tender

Words Related to delicate

calm, pacific, peaceful, placid, quiet, serene, tranquil

clement, compassionate, easy, lenient, merciful

buffering, cushioning, emollient, softening

sleek, slick, smooth

Near Antonyms of delicate

exquisite, fierce, intense, powerful, severe

forceful, forcible, savage, violent

roughened, rugged, strong

abrading, irritating, roughening

grim, gruff, rude, stiff

heavy-handed, oppressive, pitiless, tyrannical (also tyrannic)

Antonyms of delicate

abrasive, caustic, coarse, hard, harsh, rough, scathing, stern, ungentle

12 requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling

a delicate situation that must be treated carefully

Synonyms of delicate

catchy, difficult, hairy, knotty, nasty, prickly, problematic (also problematical), sensitive, spiny, sticky, thorny, ticklish, touchy, tough, tricky

Words Related to delicate

abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, hard, intricate, involved, recondite, serious

problem, troublesome, troublous, vexatious, vexing, worrisome

burdensome, demanding, exacting, importunate, inconvenient, onerous, oppressive, painful, stressful

Near Antonyms of delicate

easy, effortless, manageable, simple, straightforward, uncomplicated, undemanding

Synonym Discussion of delicate

choice, exquisite, elegant, rare, delicate, dainty mean having qualities that appeal to a cultivated taste. choice stresses preeminence in quality or kind.

- choice fabric

exquisite implies a perfection in workmanship or design that appeals only to very sensitive taste.

- an exquisite gold bracelet

elegant applies to what is rich and luxurious but restrained by good taste.

- a sumptuous but elegant dining room

rare suggests an uncommon excellence.

- rare beauty

delicate implies exquisiteness, subtlety, and fragility.

- delicate craftsmanship

dainty sometimes carries an additional suggestion of smallness and of appeal to the eye or palate.

- dainty sandwiches

Learn More about delicate

Dictionary: Definition of delicate Spanish Central: Translation of delicate Nglish: Translation of delicate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of delicate for Arabic speakers

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