1
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means
used subtle methods of persuasion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nice
made or done with extreme care and accuracy
the subtle strokes of the painter's brush
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in exquisite
satisfying or pleasing because of fineness or mildness
a subtle suggestion of the Near East in the soup's flavoring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subtle
Affordable price point aside, the shade range is excellent, and was even recently expanded to feature true-to-skin tone shades of brown and nude, perfect for lip contouring and subtle overlining.
—
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2026
That was so skillful and subtle.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
In one under-the-radar moment, the future queen displayed subtle PDA towards her husband that underscored her support of him.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
Hundreds of millions of dollars were erroneously wired across the state, apparently due to a subtle technical error.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subtle
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2026
That was so skillful and subtle.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
In one under-the-radar moment, the future queen displayed subtle PDA towards her husband that underscored her support of him.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
Hundreds of millions of dollars were erroneously wired across the state, apparently due to a subtle technical error.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subtle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtle
Adjective
-
In state media comedy shows, jokes about Putin are told from time to time, but they are used to bolster his image as a powerful, cunning leader, and hold up Russia as a great country.—
Neringa Klumbytė,
The Conversation,
4 Mar. 2026
-
These ambitious, cunning, and often amoral Cold War operatives were usually marginal or even inconsequential figures at home.—
Alfred McCoy,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
While everyone was nice enough and ready to help when asked, the service is a bit more hands-off.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Each bonkers bit is a nice reminder not to take anything too seriously.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The faux ring is reminiscent of a manicure recently sported by Kourtney Kardashian, suggesting this exquisite accent could be on the verge of having a moment.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The culinary estate in Austria’s Burgenland is globally praised for its scenery, exquisite dinners and biodynamic wines.—
Laura Ness,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Though when he’s finally seen in full evil flight, the actor is arguably allowed to wax a little too cute about it.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Place them in a cute Weck jar and have a little pickle fork handy.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Because of its delicate nature, a special crate has to be built for its transport.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The approach could help prevent both the robot and the satellite from spinning or drifting during delicate repairs.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Taylor’s voice, as guileless and elegant as ever, ties together what could have been a random-feeling assemblage of tunes in a silky bow.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The pair, who make up the Penrose Tilbury design firm, set out to reimagine this older structure as an elegant but comfortable home.—
Annabelle Dufraigne,
Architectural Digest,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Jared Wright skated it down and turned back a slick pass for Laughton, whose whirling, sharp-angle bid beat Dobeš improbably to the far side.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
In the end, such planning was rendered redundant by a combination of VAR and slick Chelsea play in extra time, leaving Wrexham to focus on perhaps making this fixture an annual event in the Premier League.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Here, The Athletic has the inside story of arguably Parkinson’s finest hour through the lens of the footballer at the heart of his game plan.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Wear it open over a fine sweater or cinched at the waist with a belt .—
René Chávez Esparza,
Glamour,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subtle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtle. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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