subtle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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We come to admire Ahmad, Perlmutter and Sidhwa, but Teng provides just enough shading so that subtle cultural tensions between the men start to emerge.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Even Henry Kissinger was more subtle than that.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
"Earlier studies often examined gentler bends or relied on external pressure, making this subtle effect difficult to separate," Iyengar said.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026
On social media, leaks of impending purges often appear in subtle forms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
In subtle ways they made her feel like an intruder, and she suspected they always would.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
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It remains to be seen whether “Kitchen Undercover” will rely on prosthetics, fake mustaches or merely the subtler costume of the unrecognized employee.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
It’s a subtler way to exert leverage over the world’s most important oil chokepoint, analysts at J.P.
From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026
What draws him most is subtler than that.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
While not in any way rabble-rousing, they wage subtler revolutions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
He had left the others, not least because the stink of Jack Dandy’s cologne made finding anything subtler impossible.
From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
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Inflation is one of the economy’s most important vital signs and one of the subtlest to measure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
"Blinks are one of the subtlest of human movements, so designing mechanisms that can mimic these movements require advanced technology, such as high-precision motors," Ms Kiilavuori explains.
From BBC ● May 4, 2023
“Since you asked, it was the subtlest form of expression known to humans. The first novel was probably Murasaki Shikibu’s ‘Tale of Genji,’ written in the 11th century.
From New York Times ● May 1, 2023
“I’ll talk influences all day, because my influences only affect my music in the subtlest ways,” Wifigawd says.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 20, 2023
It’s people like Hoagland who call you up at odd hours of the night to tell you something you absolutely need to know, practicing on you the subtlest form of sleep deprivation.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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Vocabulary lists containing subtle
100 Top "SAT" Words
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Latin Root "sub" Words
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The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters
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