Subtle
Not obvious or easily noticeable; showing fine distinctions or a subdued, understated quality.
adjectiveSubtle
Not obvious or easily noticeable; showing fine distinctions or a subdued, understated quality.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine a magician performing a subtle sleight of hand: the coin vanishes not with a flash, but with a barely perceptible movement that the audience only notices after thinking back.
Sounds Like
IPA: /ˈsʌtəl/ (the 'b' is silent).
Looks Like
Looks like: visually suggests fine, delicate quality; related forms include 'subtlety' and the Latin root 'subtilis'.
Remember This
Subtle originally meant fine, delicate, or shrewd. The 'b' is silent in modern pronunciation.
Other Forms
Connect With
nuanced, delicate, discreet, inconspicuous, refined
Note
Subtle describes finesse, nuance, or understated quality. It does not mean large, obvious, or blatant. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 'substantial' or 'subsidy'.