SUBTLE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for SUBTLE?

Need another word that means the same as “subtle”? Find 40 synonyms and 30 related words for “subtle” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Subtle” are: elusive, insidious, pernicious, fine, nice, overnice, minute, precise, narrow, tenuous, understated, low-key, muted, subdued, astute, keen, quick, acute, sharp, razor-sharp, canny, shrewd, aware, perceptive, discerning, sensitive, discriminating, penetrating, sagacious, wise, clever, intelligent, skilful, artful, ingenious, adroit, cunning, crafty, wily, devious

Subtle as an Adjective

Definitions of "Subtle" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “subtle” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze.
• Crafty; cunning.
• Able to make fine distinctions.
• (of a mixture or effect) delicately complex and understated.
• Capable of making fine distinctions.
• Working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way.
• Arranged in an ingenious and elaborate way.
• (especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe.
• Making use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something.

Synonyms of "Subtle" as an adjective (40 Words)

acute	Denoting or designed for patients with an acute form of a disease. An acute or critical lack of research funds.
adroit	Clever or skilful. An adroit technician.
artful	Clever or skilful, especially in a crafty or cunning way. An artful photograph of a striking woman.
astute	Marked by practical hardheaded intelligence. An astute businessman.
aware	Having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception. Was aware of his opponent s hostility.
canny	Having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money or business matters. Canny investors will switch banks if they think they are getting a raw deal.
clever	Showing skill and originality; ingenious. How clever of him to think of this.
crafty	Involving the making of decorative objects and other things by hand. A crafty crook faked an injury to escape from prison.
cunning	Marked by skill in deception. A cunning baby.
devious	Indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading. A devious character.
discerning	Unobtrusively perceptive and sympathetic. A discerning reader.
discriminating	Having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions. The discriminating eye of the connoisseur.
elusive	Difficult to remember. Success will become ever more elusive.
fine	Characterized by elegance or refinement or accomplishment. Anything you want is fine by me Linda.
ingenious	(of a machine or idea) cleverly and originally devised and well suited to its purpose. An ingenious solution to the problem.
insidious	Beguiling but harmful. Sexual harassment is a serious and insidious problem.
intelligent	(of a computer terminal) incorporating a microprocessor and having its own processing capability. An intelligent guess.
keen	Having or showing great perception or insight. Ear splitting explosive bursts keen and sharp.
low-key	Restrained in style or quality.
minute	Infinitely or immeasurably small. Two minute whiplike threads of protoplasm.
muted	(of colour or lighting) not bright; subdued. Muted trumpets.
narrow	Denoting a vowel pronounced with the root of the tongue drawn back so as to narrow the pharynx. The narrow sense of a word.
nice	(especially of a difference) slight or subtle. A nice gesture.
overnice	Excessively fastidious and easily disgusted. Mildred was overnice in regard to their father.
penetrating	(of a sound) clearly heard through or above other sounds. The students asked some penetrating questions.
perceptive	Of or relating to perception. A perceptive observation.
pernicious	Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way. The pernicious influences of the mass media.
precise	Used to emphasize that one is referring to an exact and particular thing. The director was precise with his camera positions.
quick	Moving quickly and lightly. A quick inspection.
razor-sharp	As sharp as a razor.
sagacious	Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgement; wise or shrewd. Observant and thoughtful he was given to asking sagacious questions.
sensitive	Being susceptible to the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others. A mimosa s leaves are sensitive to touch.
sharp	Having or emitting a high pitched and sharp tone or tones. Her sharp disappointment was tinged with embarrassment.
shrewd	Used of persons. She was shrewd enough to guess the motive behind his gesture.
skilful	Having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude. A skilful midfielder.
subdued	Lacking in light; not bright or harsh. I felt strangely subdued as I drove home.
tenuous	Very weak or slight. A tenuous fluid.
understated	Presented or expressed in a subtle and effective way. Understated elegance.
wily	Marked by skill in deception. A wily old attorney.
wise	Sensible or prudent. Don t get wise with me.

Usage Examples of "Subtle" as an adjective

• Subtle lighting.
• The German plan was simple yet subtle.
• A subtle poison.
• The subtle fiend dissembled.
• His whole attitude had undergone a subtle change.
• A subtle difference.
• His language expresses rich and subtle meanings.
• A subtle mind.
• He tried a more subtle approach.

Associations of "Subtle" (30 Words)

abstract	Give an abstract of. Abstract concepts such as love or beauty.
allusion	The practice of making allusions. A classical allusion.
artful	Not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness. Her artful wiles.
circumlocution	The use of many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive. His admission came after years of circumlocution.
complexity	A factor involved in a complicated process or situation. He enjoyed the complexity of modern computers.
covert	A flock of coots. A woman covert.
crafty	Involving the making of decorative objects and other things by hand. A crafty crook faked an injury to escape from prison.
cunning	Attractive or quaint. A cunning baby.
difficult	Hard to control. A difficult child.
elusive	Skillful at eluding capture- David Kline. The elusive thought he had had moments before.
euphemism	An inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh. The jargon has given us downsizing as a euphemism for cuts.
impalpable	Imperceptible to the senses or the mind. An impalpable cloud.
ingenious	(of a person) clever, original, and inventive. Ingenious devices.
innuendo	An indirect (and usually malicious) implication. A constant torrent of innuendo gossip lies and half truths.
insidious	Beguiling but harmful. Sexual harassment is a serious and insidious problem.
intangible	An intangible thing. Intangible assets such as good will.
intricacy	Details, especially of an involved or perplexing subject. The intricacy of the procedure.
manipulative	Relating to manipulation of an object or part of the body. A manipulative skill.
nuance	Give nuances to. The effect of the music is nuanced by the social situation of listeners.
obscure	Make obscure or unclear. Grey clouds obscure the sun.
reference	A source of information cited in a book or article. He carried an armful of references back to his desk.
secretive	(of a state or activity) characterized by the concealment of intentions and information. A secretive smile.
sly	Showing in an insinuating way that one has some secret knowledge that may be harmful or embarrassing. Sly as a fox.
subtlety	A subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude. The textural subtlety of Degas.
symbolism	Symbolic meaning attributed to natural objects or facts. He has always believed in the importance of symbolism in garden art.
tricky	Having concealed difficulty. I wouldn t trust her she s tricky.
undercurrent	A current below the surface of a fluid. Racial undercurrents.
undertone	A quiet or hushed tone of voice. They were talking in undertones.
vague	Not precisely limited, determined, or distinguished. Many patients suffer vague symptoms.
wily	Skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully. A wily old attorney.