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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word exquisite different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of exquisite are choice, dainty, delicate, elegant, and rare. While all these words mean "having qualities that appeal to a cultivated taste," exquisite implies a perfection in workmanship or design that appeals only to very sensitive taste.

an exquisite gold bracelet

When could choice be used to replace exquisite?

While the synonyms choice and exquisite are close in meaning, choice stresses preeminence in quality or kind.

choice fabric

When can dainty be used instead of exquisite?

Although the words dainty and exquisite have much in common, dainty sometimes carries an additional suggestion of smallness and of appeal to the eye or palate.

dainty sandwiches

In what contexts can delicate take the place of exquisite?

The words delicate and exquisite are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, delicate implies exquisiteness, subtlety, and fragility.

delicate craftsmanship

Where would elegant be a reasonable alternative to exquisite?

The synonyms elegant and exquisite are sometimes interchangeable, but elegant applies to what is rich and luxurious but restrained by good taste.

a sumptuous but elegant dining room

When is rare a more appropriate choice than exquisite?

While in some cases nearly identical to exquisite, 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 exquisite
Adjective
The outfits range from the exquisite to the amusing to the absurd, tracing San Francisco fashion from after the 1906 earthquake to the new century. Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024 Balcer would put her stamp on the game in another way 25 minutes later, delivering an exquisite through ball that launched Lavelle on a dash up the middle of the Gotham defense toward the tying goal. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2023
Noun
The positive response from lovers of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig led to three more volumes, each collecting 25 new shorts that were meticulously restored and presented in exquisite transfers. Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 18 June 2025 Israel, the strongest military power in the Middle East, has scored numerous tactical successes using precision airpower and exquisite intelligence since Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. Robert A. Pape, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for exquisite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exquisite
Adjective
  • There were times when the twin drama got too intense.
    Maris Kreizman, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
  • Drilling defense: Every day at practice, the Broncos execute intense, one-on-one, full-court defensive slide drills.
    Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • Rivers in Ecuador, India, and Canada provide the settings for this elegant travelogue, which asks whether a natural entity, such as a river, can be regarded as a living thing.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • For the rest of her styling, Gomez wore a black gown with velvet bow detailing and an elegant French bob, proving that lilac goes with pretty much anything.
    Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • In this edition, the grey tone reflects the muted, misty landscape of the British coast, with subtle variations achieved through multiple layers of transparent lacquer.
    Matthew Catellier, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • The result was a robust workforce forecasting model, one that’s sophisticated enough to consider the subtle complexities of human behavior and help identify potential attrition risks.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Winds were at 30 knots, generating 6-foot to 8-foot swells.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
  • To the right of the eye, life-threatening storm surge will produce coastal flooding, large waves, swells, and rip currents.
    Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • Designed to withstand intensive training, Lacoste’s abrasion-resistant piqué fabric is made with Ultra Dry moisture-wicking technology for more breathable wear.
    Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 27 June 2025
  • Oftentimes, enrolling in an intensive language program qualifies someone for a student visa, depending on the requirements of that country (more on that later).
    Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • And years after contracting measles, people can later develop subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE, a rare but fatal complication resulting from a weakened form of the virus remaining in the body, and later infecting the brain.
    Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
  • So in our history, this is very rare, and the localization of that kind of violence, to me, is what’s different and new in many ways about this.
    Fiction Non Fiction June 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • If regular Jenga is like performing delicate surgery, this extra large version from a different company is like performing a dangerous game of minesweeper.
    Parker Hall, Wired News, 21 June 2025
  • Birthday party etiquette can be a delicate balance.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • The event kicked off with an opening dance, before the debutantes lined up for a waltz with their fathers, who were then passed onto their cavaliers for dancing with a live band.
    Kristen Bateman, Vogue, 1 Dec. 2024
  • Opal is described as a 5-pound red/brown cavapoo — a mix of a King Charles cavalier and a poodle.
    Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Exquisite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exquisite. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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