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subtlety meaning and examples

2025-09-06

Meaning

Subtlety is a noun that refers to the quality of being delicate, precise, or difficult to notice. It can describe slight differences, refined details, or cleverness in thought and expression that is not immediately obvious.

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: Noun

  • Countable/uncountable:

    • As uncountable, it means the general quality of being subtle.
    • As countable, it refers to a particular fine detail or nuance.

Typical structures:

  • “the subtlety of her argument”
  • “a subtlety of flavor”
  • “he lacked subtlety in his approach”

Common Phrases

  • Lack of subtlety – being too obvious or blunt.
  • With great subtlety – done with delicacy or refinement.
  • Subtleties of language – small nuances and shades of meaning.

Collocations

  • Verb + subtlety: appreciate, understand, grasp, miss, lack
  • Adjective + subtlety: great subtlety, remarkable subtlety, delicate subtlety
  • Subtlety + noun: subtlety of flavor, subtlety of expression, subtlety of meaning

Examples

  1. The subtlety of her smile conveyed more than words ever could.
  2. He lacked the subtlety needed to handle the delicate negotiations.
  3. The subtlety of the painting is lost on casual viewers.
  4. Good actors bring out the subtleties of a character’s emotions.
  5. The subtlety of language makes translation challenging.
  6. Her cooking showed a remarkable subtlety of flavor.
  7. Subtlety is essential when criticizing someone constructively.
  8. The novel’s subtlety lies in its quiet observations of daily life.
  • Nuance
  • Fineness
  • Refinement
  • Intricacy
  • Delicacy