subtle

adjective
UK: /ˈsʌtl/
US: /ˈsʌtl/

  1. Not obvious; difficult to perceive or notice.

    1. I saw a subtle change in his face, like a small expression. [ ] [ ]
    2. The subtle differences in flavor made it hard to decide which tea I liked better. [ ] [ ]

  2. Delicate or fine, and often clever or skillful.

    1. She has a subtle mind and can solve difficult problems with ease. [ ] [ ]
    2. His paintings are admired for their subtle use of color and light to create atmosphere. [ ] [ ]

  3. Making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something.

    1. She used subtle persuasion to get her way, but it was fair enough. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company employed subtle marketing tactics to promote their new product without being pushy. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

faint delicate understated fine indirect slight nuanced refined
subtle adverb

  1. In a way that is delicate, fine, or not obvious.

    1. The music changed subtly, and I barely noticed the shift in tempo. [ ] [ ]
    2. The artist subtly blended colors to create a realistic effect on the canvas. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "subtle" in English means: Not obvious; difficult to perceive or notice., Delicate or fine, and often clever or skillful., Making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something..

The phonetic transcription of "subtle" is /ˈsʌtl/ in British English and /ˈsʌtl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "subtle": faint, delicate, understated, fine, indirect, slight, nuanced, refined.

Example usage of "subtle": "I saw a subtle change in his face, like a small expression.". More examples on the page.