Subtlety
noun
The quality or state of being hard to notice or see.
She appreciated the subtlety of the painting's colors.
Often appears as...
- beyond subtlety
- with subtlety
noun
A very small change in color, tone or meaning.
The subtlety of his argument was lost on most people.
Often appears as...
- subtlety of tone
- subtlety of color
Usage tips
Academic
noun
The use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something.
She handled the awkward situation with great subtlety.
Often appears as...
- with great subtlety
- lack subtlety
noun
The quality or state of being hard to notice or see.
She appreciated the subtlety of the painting's colors.
Often appears as...
- beyond subtlety
- with subtlety
noun
A very small change in color, tone or meaning.
The subtlety of his argument was lost on most people.
Often appears as...
- subtlety of tone
- subtlety of color
Usage tips
Academic
noun
The use of clever and indirect methods to achieve something.
She handled the awkward situation with great subtlety.
Often appears as...
- with great subtlety
- lack subtlety
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Easily Missed
Subtlety is often used to describe details that are easily overlooked but important for full understanding.
The subtlety of her smile revealed her true feelings.
Pro Tip 2/3Art and Literature
In art and literature, subtlety can refer to fine distinctions that require careful attention to notice.
Critics praised the subtlety of the writer's character development.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Nuances
Subtlety can convey complex emotions without stating them explicitly.
His acting was full of subtlety, expressing the character's turmoil.
Compare with
ambiguitydelicacyfinessenuancerefinementsophisticatedsuggestion
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Video examples
Amazing Photo Wins...
it was a moment I don't get to see I was in that way I looked I said well you brought me in to see an animal in a way that I never have seen and I probably won't get to see the top images were great the wildebeest picture you know springs to mind is something that had enough subtlety in it
Video examples
How Benjamin Button got...
or so and we also needed to make sure that we could take Brad's idiosyncrasies his little ticks the little subtleties that make him who he is and have that translate through our process so that it appears in Benjamin on the screen and we also needed to create a character that
Video examples
A Rare Look at the...
to all the great apes make this and they're the only primate that makes nest that's important because they have large bodies and it's a way that they can sleep in the trees where they're safer from ground predators there seems to be variation and kind of some subtleties of
Video examples
Intuitively visualizing...
some critical subtleties in his computational results now he and I work together for several months to design a new interactive visualization tool called ms be here I'm showing you just one part of that tool ms lee is designed to support data like Manfred's data that
Video examples
Ed Ulbrich: How Benjamin...
And we also needed to make sure that we could take Brad's idiosyncrasies, his little tics, the little subtleties that make him who he is and have that translate through our process so that it appears in Benjamin on the screen. And we also needed to create a character
Video examples
How to spot a liar PIPE...
So one challenge we have is to remember, oversharing, that's not honesty. Our manic tweeting and texting can blind us to the fact that the subtleties of human decency -- character integrity -- that's still what matters, that's always what's going to matter.
Video examples
How to spot a liar -...
world so one challenge we have is to remember over sharing that's not honesty our matic tweeting and texting can blind us to the fact that the subtleties of human decency character integrity that's still it matters that's always what's going to matter
Video examples
Erin Pettit: Glaciers on...
glaciers I've learned as much about myself and about the way we go about observing the world as I have about the ice itself and that's because of that subtlety this this subtle movement on the landscape the changes that are happening sometimes
Video examples
How to rob a bank (from...
first started calling these loans liar's loans, which lacks a certain subtlety, and second, massively increased them, and no government regulator ever required or encouraged any lender
Video examples
Budgie Courtship Ritual...
too occupied in preening to care but her admirer has ways to get himself noticed she sees more subtleties of color than we can and she detects ultraviolet to a
Video examples
Amazing Photo Wins...
it was a moment I don't get to see I was in that way I looked I said well you brought me in to see an animal in a way that I never have seen and I probably won't get to see the top images were great the wildebeest picture you know springs to mind is something that had enough subtlety in it
Video examples
How Benjamin Button got...
or so and we also needed to make sure that we could take Brad's idiosyncrasies his little ticks the little subtleties that make him who he is and have that translate through our process so that it appears in Benjamin on the screen and we also needed to create a character that
Video examples
A Rare Look at the...
to all the great apes make this and they're the only primate that makes nest that's important because they have large bodies and it's a way that they can sleep in the trees where they're safer from ground predators there seems to be variation and kind of some subtleties of
Video examples
Intuitively visualizing...
some critical subtleties in his computational results now he and I work together for several months to design a new interactive visualization tool called ms be here I'm showing you just one part of that tool ms lee is designed to support data like Manfred's data that
Video examples
Ed Ulbrich: How Benjamin...
And we also needed to make sure that we could take Brad's idiosyncrasies, his little tics, the little subtleties that make him who he is and have that translate through our process so that it appears in Benjamin on the screen. And we also needed to create a character
Video examples
How to spot a liar PIPE...
So one challenge we have is to remember, oversharing, that's not honesty. Our manic tweeting and texting can blind us to the fact that the subtleties of human decency -- character integrity -- that's still what matters, that's always what's going to matter.
Video examples
How to spot a liar -...
world so one challenge we have is to remember over sharing that's not honesty our matic tweeting and texting can blind us to the fact that the subtleties of human decency character integrity that's still it matters that's always what's going to matter
Video examples
Erin Pettit: Glaciers on...
glaciers I've learned as much about myself and about the way we go about observing the world as I have about the ice itself and that's because of that subtlety this this subtle movement on the landscape the changes that are happening sometimes
Video examples
How to rob a bank (from...
first started calling these loans liar's loans, which lacks a certain subtlety, and second, massively increased them, and no government regulator ever required or encouraged any lender
Video examples
Budgie Courtship Ritual...
too occupied in preening to care but her admirer has ways to get himself noticed she sees more subtleties of color than we can and she detects ultraviolet to a
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John Bishop
British Comedian
When I started doing arenas, because of the screens, I was back to getting the reaction of a very small room. If I say something and raise my eyebrow, everyone sees it. So people were laughing at the subtleties that they weren't getting in the theatres. It was really strange.
Quote examples
Jeffrey Kluger
American Writer
As with real reading, the ability to comprehend subtlety and complexity comes only with time and a lot of experience. If you don't adequately acquire those skills, moving out into the real world of real people can actually become quite scary.
Quote examples
Misha Collins
American Actor
When you're doing lots and lots of episodes and you're playing the same character, it's great because you really get to know the character and it becomes a really fast style and you find subtleties in it.
Quote examples
Andrea Bocelli
Italian Musician
Naturally, women are drawn to a man who understands the subtlety of emotions, and they know I'm a passionate man. But the reason I try to keep myself in shape is so I can sing better, not to look good.
Quote examples
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
American Actor
I think there's a weird stigma in the TV-film world that theater people can't be funny and understand subtlety, and I think that could not be more wrong.
Quote examples
Calvin Harris
Scottish Musician
In Britain, you know there are people waiting to tear your stuff apart, so it's important for me to know that my music has subtleties and depth to it.
Quote examples
Kyle MacLachlan
American Actor
I am a big one for subtlety and empathy. My dad was softly spoken and didn't carry his honours and accomplishments for everyone to see.
Quote examples
Jeremy Renner
American Actor
I like repressed characters. That gives me a lot of freedom to make a lot of different choices through subtleties.
Quote examples
Lydia Millet
American Novelist
It seems to me that the time for subtlety in our American life has passed.
Quote examples
Cliff Chiang
American Artist
Really, subtlety is what is really important to me and my work.
Quote examples
John Bishop
British Comedian
When I started doing arenas, because of the screens, I was back to getting the reaction of a very small room. If I say something and raise my eyebrow, everyone sees it. So people were laughing at the subtleties that they weren't getting in the theatres. It was really strange.
Quote examples
Jeffrey Kluger
American Writer
As with real reading, the ability to comprehend subtlety and complexity comes only with time and a lot of experience. If you don't adequately acquire those skills, moving out into the real world of real people can actually become quite scary.
Quote examples
Misha Collins
American Actor
When you're doing lots and lots of episodes and you're playing the same character, it's great because you really get to know the character and it becomes a really fast style and you find subtleties in it.
Quote examples
Andrea Bocelli
Italian Musician
Naturally, women are drawn to a man who understands the subtlety of emotions, and they know I'm a passionate man. But the reason I try to keep myself in shape is so I can sing better, not to look good.
Quote examples
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
American Actor
I think there's a weird stigma in the TV-film world that theater people can't be funny and understand subtlety, and I think that could not be more wrong.
Quote examples
Calvin Harris
Scottish Musician
In Britain, you know there are people waiting to tear your stuff apart, so it's important for me to know that my music has subtleties and depth to it.
Quote examples
Kyle MacLachlan
American Actor
I am a big one for subtlety and empathy. My dad was softly spoken and didn't carry his honours and accomplishments for everyone to see.
Quote examples
Jeremy Renner
American Actor
I like repressed characters. That gives me a lot of freedom to make a lot of different choices through subtleties.
Quote examples
Lydia Millet
American Novelist
It seems to me that the time for subtlety in our American life has passed.
Quote examples
Cliff Chiang
American Artist
Really, subtlety is what is really important to me and my work.
Example 1 of 10
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