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
But there are subtle differences.
—
Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
Though the collapse and tsunami in Tracy Arm took everyone by surprise, such events might still have warning signs—just very subtle ones.
—Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
There had been subtle signs from his body that demanded attention.
—Emilie Hardman, JSTOR Daily, 6 May 2026
There are subtle patterns in the gamma rays ALOFT saw, for instance.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for subtle
Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
Though the collapse and tsunami in Tracy Arm took everyone by surprise, such events might still have warning signs—just very subtle ones.
—Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
There had been subtle signs from his body that demanded attention.
—Emilie Hardman, JSTOR Daily, 6 May 2026
There are subtle patterns in the gamma rays ALOFT saw, for instance.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for subtle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtle
Adjective
-
There’s arguably no one better placed to collaborate with VFX artists on a motion-capture performance than Serkis, who’s delivered innocence, cunning, cruelty, longing, and kindness in roles that run from Golum to Caesar to King Kong himself.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
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As Michael moves into solo stardom and makes cunning business moves, the film captures how his seemingly naive idealism was also a form of ambition.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
One thing that makes Vim comfortable for me is the combination of Vim-Airline and Promptline, which together provide a nice status bar that helps highlight some useful info as one is editing a file.—
Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
-
Right now, trends favor nice and pleasant weather Mother's Day morning into mid-afternoon with the chance of rain increasing toward the dinner hour and beyond.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
The residence showcases exquisite marble, onyx, lapis lazuli, tiger’s eye, and malachite stonework, accented with 14-karat gold-leaf detailing and silk trim.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Those exquisite night flights bring to mind another bunch of Neverlanders longing for home.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The clothes were cute, though, if not a little costumey.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
This adorable cloud pillow shows Harry’s iconic lightning bolt scar and is a seriously cute addition to any fan’s collection of memorabilia.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Hairstylist Ashley Ruiz pulled her hair back into a super sleek bun, and makeup artist Jenna Nicole gave her an almost-red magenta lip with a flawless, delicate cat eye.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
7 May 2026
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With waitlists that seemingly double with each restock, pairs in delicate ivory and chartreuse bring a romantic touch to everyday staples when styled with soft knits and lightweight jackets.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Back in my rooms, I was brought a box of French macarons and a bottle of Greek tentura, a cinnamon liqueur produced in the city of Patras, another elegant presentation of new alongside old, international alongside local.—
Sarah Manguso,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
-
Plants flower spring through fall in elegant shades of purple, pink, blue, and white.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Major West Bank roads are lined with Israeli flags and slick new real estate billboards advertising affordable housing in settlements in Hebrew.—
Molly Hunter,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
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Find something a recruit is interested in and a picture of him, and AI can produce a (relatively) slick graphic pretty quickly.—
Antonio Morales,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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The fine points of class-action law were, of course, less influential than Crenshaw’s insistence on paying close attention to the way Black women were treated by the courts, and the essay’s most memorable lines were broader categorical claims.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Great White’s trainer, John Ennis, confirmed to The Associated Press that the big gray gelding and jockey Alex Achard were fine.—
Stephen Whyno,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subtle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtle. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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