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
  • Greenspan was renowned for his formidable data-crunching capabilities, sharp reading of market psychology, and subtle, often elusive communication style.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The cabin interiors are built from a lovely blonde wood, which was aesthetically pleasing, if a little creaky at times, while the white linens on the comfortable queen bed were a subtle reminder that this is a luxury accommodation.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • Supporters of the administration view this back and forth as a cunning ploy to buy time for the United States to position itself more advantageously for a confrontation.
    — Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Owen is bamboozled by a cunning opportunist, handcuffed, and robbed in his underwear.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • But the clever and wily ruler of the Sikh Kingdom of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was obsessed with bringing the Koh-i-Noor back to India.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Maye took the snap and gave it away again, set up by some wily safety play.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of wily
Adjective
  • Whitney Houston’s powerhouse version stands alone, but Dolly’s quieter, mournful ode to her collaboration with Porter Wagoner is the artful, formative sketch to a colossal mural.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Deploying everything from pickled green strawberries and fresh peas to whipped labneh with Banyul vinegar glaze, artful Viennoiserie evokes more than a little whimsy that spans sweet and savory.
    — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of artful
Adjective
  • These writers saw themselves as craftsmen and their field as closed to outsiders; at the Daily Mirror, the standard-bearing populist sheet, the crafty Lamb hadn’t been able to get ahead.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Carroll has been crafty on the base paths, recording 20 steals on 23 attempts.
    — Data Skrive, New York Times, 26 Aug. 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
  • But it was filled with quicksilver, roller-coaster displays of virtuosity and the sly humor Lutoslawski and fellow Polish composer and pianist Andrzej Panufnik brought to their Paganini variations in its original 1941 iteration.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The Professional is a sly inversion of — and indulgent celebration of — action cliches, made at a time when action movies were ubiquitous but often redundant, featuring a succession of distinctly European stars like Schwarzenegger and Van Damme.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of sly
Adjective
  • But figuring out how to implement generative AI is a trickier task for the Times in particular, a news institution that is obsessed with accuracy and attention to detail.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • There are steps everywhere, apart from the restaurant, and access on and off the boats can be a bit tricky.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 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 30 Aug. 2026.

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