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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 tea rose first became available for purchase in 2025, and it’s been hard for gardeners to get their hands on; this exquisite bloom remains in high demand. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2025 But the breakthrough in demonstrating such exquisite levels of formation flying may well have bigger implications for future science and space applications beyond studying the sun. Andrew Jones, Space.com, 12 May 2025
Noun
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 See All Example Sentences for exquisite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exquisite
Adjective
  • That evening, there was intense fighting between the Army and the R.S.F, but Wanis slipped outside anyway.
    Nicolas Niarchos, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
  • Losing someone the caliber of Soto’s track record stung the Yankees and certainly their fans based on the reaction of an intense Subway Series.
    Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • To bring back that upscale aesthetic, the Casino Royal will have a dress code that requires jackets for men and elegant dress for women.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 13 May 2025
  • In 2024, Evangelista made an elegant return to the Met Gala.
    Michelle Lee, People.com, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • With its strapless neckline, subtle side slit, and body-hugging silhouette, it was made for sipping cocktails under palm trees in Miami or dancing the night away in Barcelona.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2025
  • Vasudevan explains that cats use their paws not just for hunting or defending, but also for play and subtle communication.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • The big hair matched his baritone and broad shoulders, the kind that come from years of scratching over 10- and 20-foot swells.
    Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 12 May 2025
  • The locals sure aren't, with an increasing number of surfers finally catching on to the islands' stellar swells.
    Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025
Adjective
  • Ryan Murphy has found his Kennedys after an intensive casting search for the first installment of his new FX anthology series, American Love Story.
    Meredith Kile, People.com, 13 May 2025
  • The department conducts an annual review of each state, and a more intensive one that’s supposed to be completed roughly every five years.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • The bill, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, passed with unanimous consent – a rare occurrence for substantive legislation.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 21 May 2025
  • This rare, hands-on recording museum highlights the sonic legacy of guitar god Les Paul.
    Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • This transformation requires a delicate balancing act.
    Miles Ward, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • Wirtz is focused more on the micro, with delicate touches and deft flicks, compared to Szoboszlai’s macro traits of energy and power.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 May 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 25 May. 2025.

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