subtlety
the state or quality of being subtle.
delicacy or nicety of character or meaning.
acuteness or penetration of mind; delicacy of discrimination.
a fine-drawn distinction; refinement of reasoning: the subtleties of logic.
something subtle.
History/Historical. an elaborate confection, ornate in construction and ornamentation, sometimes edible but more often made and used as a decoration for a table or buffet.
Origin of subtlety
1Other words from subtlety
- hy·per·sub·tle·ty, noun
- non·sub·tle·ty, noun, plural non·sub·tle·ties.
- o·ver·sub·tle·ty, noun, plural o·ver·sub·tle·ties.
Words Nearby subtlety
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use subtlety in a sentence
Recent breakthroughs in deep learning have made it possible to replicate many of the subtleties of human speech.
AI voice actors sound more human than ever—and they’re ready to hire | Karen Hao | July 9, 2021 | MIT Technology ReviewThis is a plus if you’re looking for subtlety, and an accessory you wear nearly 24 hours a day ought to look subtle.
Fitbit Versa 3 review: A well-rounded smartwatch for fitness | Billy Cadden | June 14, 2021 | Popular-ScienceOne bemoaned the subtlety of the lime — “it’s so plain” — while another found the dearth of faux flavor made it the most bearable.
What’s the best hard seltzer? We tried 18 new flavors to find out. | Emily Heil | May 13, 2021 | Washington PostThe third time I just sat back and marveled at the sure hand of the director, the subtlety of Amy Adams, the ambition of the story structure.
The Oscars always get it wrong. Here are the real best pictures of the past 45 years. | Dan Zak, Amy Argetsinger | April 23, 2021 | Washington PostVR is being used in podcast production because it captures “subtleties, gestures and warmth” that are lost in distanced interaction, says Karolina Komarnicka, of The Leadership Network’s The Real Place podcast.
‘An immediate sense of co-presence’: Firms turn to VR as bridge for in-person connections at conferences, events | Jessica Davies | April 5, 2021 | Digiday
In his opulent maroon suit, Dickens flaunts his fame and fortune with so little subtlety he makes Kanye West appear modest.
The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson (And Tolstoy and Dickens) | Samuel Fragoso | October 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTPolitical or not, shown in New York or Budapest, it is a worthy achievement composed with taste and subtlety.
In Hands of Hungarian Artist, Jewish Home Movies of the ’30s a Warning of Coming Holocaust | Daniel Genis | October 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe violence was turned up to 11, but the message could still have been handled with more subtlety.
‘Fury’: A Ludicrous WWII Movie More Violent Than ‘Inglourious Basterds’ | Nico Hines | October 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut Nicki doesn't just tell us she has a big, fat, ass—that would lack craft and subtlety.
Nicki Minaj’s ‘Anaconda’ Is Too Much Booty for One Man to Handle | Amy Zimmerman | August 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWithout context, subtlety, and commentary, a parody begins to look eerily like the scenario it is attempting to skewer.
The apparent slightness of these English changes reveals their deliberate subtlety.
Solomon and Solomonic Literature | Moncure Daniel Conway"Jack wants you to go for a walk," announced Miss Thangue, who saw no occasion for subtlety.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonHis quick-wittedness and the subtlety of his character make him full of quaint remarks and funny and unexpected comparisons.
Friend Mac Donald | Max O'RellThis arrangement was not to Gwynne's taste, but he had developed subtlety in such matters and bided his time.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonAccustomed to women of a more sophisticated class, Jean had at first taken her navet for the height of subtlety.
The Amazing Interlude | Mary Roberts Rinehart
British Dictionary definitions for subtlety
/ (ˈsʌtəltɪ) /
the state or quality of being subtle; delicacy
a fine distinction or the ability to make such a distinction
something subtle
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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