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
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Recent Examples of delicateThis isn’t a delicate plastic novelty that rattles at high volume.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
29 Sep. 2026 But these aren’t the delicate whispers of citrus and florals that dominate summer.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
28 Sep. 2026 That extends the life of clothing, especially bright colors, delicate fibers and fabrics containing spandex or elastane.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Sep. 2026 These are differences that the muscular sense cannot appreciate, which escape even the more delicate instruments.—Artforum,
28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for delicate
In Lepecki’s account, the gesture again demonstrated that stillness in dance always vibrates with subtle motion.
—
Sophie Landres,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2026
Against a backdrop of wilting flowers that left a subtle funk in the air, designer Glenn Martens once again put forth ideas that challenged conventions of beautiful clothing.
Projections suggest that if the epidemic continues at its current pace, 25,000 people in Fiji will be living with HIV by 2029, figures that Soqo says would push Fiji's fragile health system to the brink of collapse.
—
David Cox,
NPR,
26 Sep. 2026
Dry cleaners have access to solvents and techniques that can safely remove wax and stains without damaging fragile fibers.
—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
26 Sep. 2026
The iconic Fifth Avenue landmark has been turned into luxury apartments—one of which has been given a local’s elegant touch.
—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
30 Sep. 2026
Al Mubarak was an elegant, articulate embodiment of a project many saw as an extension of Abu Dhabi soft power as much as a sheikh’s personal investment.
This process can be even more pronounced in smaller galaxies in which the gravitational influence is weaker, and the black holes are less likely to be strongly bound to the galactic center.
—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
29 Sep. 2026
Takaichi’s spending plans have drawn attention, raising concerns of debt sustainability and a weaker yen which have pushed Japanese bond yields to multidecade highs.
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