subtile

adjective

Definition of subtilenext
as in subtle

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtile
  1. subtle
  2. cunning
  3. wily
  4. artful
  5. crafty
  6. trick
  7. sly
  8. tricky
Adjective
  • Messi’s longevity is a story of enduring brilliance but also subtle evolution.
    — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 10 July 2026
  • Buyers will be able to tailor the interior with exclusive leather, Alcantara, and a choice of Comfort or Racing seats, both featuring six vertical grooves as a subtle nod to the six-speed layout.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 July 2026
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • That doesn't enable cunning and unprincipled men to subvert the power of the people.
    — Lori A Bashian , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • For decades, humans mined antibiotic molecules from microbes and tweaked them to develop new drugs, staying ahead of evolution’s cunning countermeasures.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • The team would soon feature real stars, too, in the likes of KC native Belser and wily midfielder Graham Zusi.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • Uso was the wily veteran, a former world heavyweight champion, looking to get back into the title picture.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026
Definition of wily
Adjective
  • His daughter, Jeanette Marini, 30, who is general manager of the chop house, lets her creativity flow in the catering by setting up artful buffet tables, as well as helping customers plan.
    — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
  • But smart casting, witty writing, lively directing, and artful character development have also yielded the rare superhero riff that, as Kovak puts it, finds the human underneath.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
Definition of artful
Adjective
  • The plot imperative of future Irina surviving to play a significant role in later seasons of For All Mankind gives us so much runway to imagine wild twists and turns for this crafty lass.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • Watch crafty servant Scapin spin outrageous webs of disguise and deception to help a band of young lovers outwit their impossibly miserly fathers.
    — News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of crafty
Adjective
  • As Halloween approaches, investors seem fearful that good credit performance may be more trick than treat.
    — Telis Demos, WSJ, 21 Oct. 2022
  • If the high cost of it all is more trick than treat for you, here are several ways to turn your already smart home into a spook-tacularly genius haunted house.
    — Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021
Definition of trick
Adjective
  • Eleanor immediately asked Margaret with a sly look of provocation on her face.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 June 2026
  • Unlike the other luxury swimwear brands on this list that pay homage to the silhouettes and style cues of the ‘80s and ‘90s, Miaou’s suits come with a sly sense of humor and color palette straight from the early aughts.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 24 June 2026
Definition of sly
Adjective
  • Petite Bottoms Pants are notoriously tricky in the heat — the wrong fabric can weigh you down, and the wrong inseam can easily throw off your entire outfit.
    — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026
  • Reid recorded more than 20 songs written by the show’s composer Daniel Hart, many of which lyrically relitigated the tricky emotional labor and fatigue of having to exist through centuries.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2026
Definition of tricky
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.

Browse Nearby Words

subterranean
subtile
subtilty
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Cite this Entry

“Subtile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtile. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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