as in cunning
skill in achieving one's ends through indirect, subtle, or underhanded means
we appreciated the subtlety with which our host indicated that it was time to leave: he volunteered to pack us a little lunch for the road
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Recent Examples of subtlety
Some directors leaned so far toward subtlety, and the alleged virtue of immersion, that people in the theater barely noticed the effect.
—
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2025
While there are some obvious differences, the subtleties can be harder to master — and how those differences came to be is murky.
—Terry Ward, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
Some were as sleek as a stiletto, while others had all the brutal subtlety of a thirty-pound sledgehammer.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025
As with most of the other metaphors on this list, there’s not much subtlety here.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtlety
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2025
While there are some obvious differences, the subtleties can be harder to master — and how those differences came to be is murky.
—Terry Ward, CNN Money, 20 Dec. 2025
Some were as sleek as a stiletto, while others had all the brutal subtlety of a thirty-pound sledgehammer.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025
As with most of the other metaphors on this list, there’s not much subtlety here.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subtlety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtlety
Noun
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Because Maradona, in a burst of cunning and trickery, also used his hand.—
Esteban Campanela,
CNN Money,
25 Nov. 2025
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Landing a good apartment in New York City can take some cunning.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Mike Bowman, designer, furniture industry expert, and director of marketing for Harmonia Living, says this trend relies on furnishings to bring artfulness to a space—rather than just functionality.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
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There is a real seriousness to the score — the scheming bad-guy music has the artfulness of Prokofiev, and even the sneaking-around cues have musical integrity and structure.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subtlety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtlety. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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