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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
Gwyneth Paltrow and Odessa A’zion are exquisite in their supporting roles, devouring every morsel of the Safdie and Ronald Bronstein script. Clayton Davis, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025 Matières Fécales made some exquisite pieces, despite their challenging name. Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exquisite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exquisite
Adjective
  • Thus, current fears reinforce a pre-existing localism, and infuse it with new and intense emotions.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
  • After at least half a decade of acute concern about the way that platforms such as Instagram may affect young people, as well as intense debate about how best to keep kids safe online, Meta has arrived at a label that was invented in the 1980s because parents were upset by movies such as Gremlins.
    Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • And while the color itself is a mix of almond milk and espresso, Steinfeld also opted for an elegant mid-length almond shape, adding a second meaning to the moniker.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2025
  • This gorgeous 55x21x100-inch arbor is a West Elm best-seller thanks to its elegant design and sturdy wrought iron frame.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • While accent walls can still highlight a feature or add subtle drama, McKenzie encourages rethinking the concept altogether.
    Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
  • These hallways are so dark that my eyes had to adjust to make out the rust-red carpet and the subtle room numbers on the floors.
    Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • However, if the swell lingers, changes are possible, and the advisory will be extended.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
  • These swells will spread westward toward the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight, then toward the rest of the Greater Antilles over the next couple of days.
    MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Higgins pointed out that land-intensive projects, like the Miami Freedom Park soccer stadium project, could have included housing on the premises.
    Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following intensive peace negotiations in Doha, Qatar, according to Reuters reporting on an announcement made by Qatar's foreign ministry early Sunday.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Sea star wasting disease is a rare example of a fast and coordinated response to a marine epidemic.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025
  • One rare occasion was when the trio came together for Apple's societal debut at Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris last year.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In a frantic but delicate rescue, captured on images and video reviewed by CNN, a policeman dug away the packed earth.
    Aishwarya S. Iyer, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Avanova Casual Tie Neck Blouse This tie-neck blouse is the perfect blend of modern and vintage with its bishop sleeves and a delicate bow tied along the collar.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 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 22 Oct. 2025.

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