subtlety
noun
sub·tle·ty
ˈsə-tᵊl-tē 
plural subtleties
1
: the quality or state of being subtle
2
: something subtle
Synonyms
Examples of subtlety in a Sentence
The pianist performed with subtlety and passion.
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
Recent Examples on the Web
The intricate subtleties and emotional expressiveness of the film’s lions were pushed to new levels.
—
Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2025
This was a crystallizing moment in my teaching career: what afflicts literature, more than book banning, is this rapid loss of the ability to read for deeper meanings, to grasp subtlety, and to understand ambiguity.
—Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024
The film, the first entry in the Marvel universe with a female lead, channels the spirit of the 1990s both in its setting and in style, with heaping spoonfuls of Samuel L. Jackson and all the plot and subtlety of a blockbuster action movie.
—Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024
For Henry James, characters lacking Jamesian subtlety are likely to fail the audition.
—Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for subtlety 
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.
Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2025
This was a crystallizing moment in my teaching career: what afflicts literature, more than book banning, is this rapid loss of the ability to read for deeper meanings, to grasp subtlety, and to understand ambiguity.
—Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024
The film, the first entry in the Marvel universe with a female lead, channels the spirit of the 1990s both in its setting and in style, with heaping spoonfuls of Samuel L. Jackson and all the plot and subtlety of a blockbuster action movie.
—Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024
For Henry James, characters lacking Jamesian subtlety are likely to fail the audition.
—Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for subtlety
Dictionary Entries Near subtlety
Cite this Entry
“Subtlety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subtlety. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
subtlety
noun
sub·tle·ty
ˈsət-ᵊl-tē
plural subtleties
1
: the quality or state of being subtle
2
: something subtle
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share