subtlety

noun

sub·​tle·​ty ˈsə-tᵊl-tē 

plural subtleties

1

: the quality or state of being subtle

2

: something subtle

Synonyms

• artfulness
• artifice
• caginess
• cageyness
• canniness
• craft
• craftiness
• cunning
• cunningness
• deviousness
• foxiness
• guile
• guilefulness
• slickness
• slyness
• sneakiness
• subtleness
• wiliness

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

Since an excess of subtlety might have led to the general underappreciation of something like Reservation Dogs, sometimes a little guiding hand-holding isn’t a bad thing. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2024

Her low-intervention winemaking practices reflect this belief, with a focus on subtlety and nuance that draw the consumer into the layers of the wine. —Rachel King, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

Tula insisting on using the poison to put Orry’s horse out of its misery rather than a blunter object hints at the subtlety that separates her from the megaphone-loud blasts of her sister’s voice. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2024

Some of the stereo panning in the music is faint, but the effective stereo separation of the left and right channels helps highlight these subtleties. —PCMAG, 27 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sotilte, subtilte, from Anglo-French sotilté, from Latin subtilitat-, subtilitas, from subtilis

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

subtlety

noun

sub·​tle·​ty ˈsət-ᵊl-tē 

plural subtleties

1

: the quality or state of being subtle

2

: something subtle