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Definitions

hairline

[hair-lahyn] / ˈhɛərˌlaɪn /
ADJECTIVE
delicate
Synonyms
STRONGEST
delicious delightful elegant exquisite fragile gentle graceful mild rare soft subtle tender
WEAK
aerial balmy breakable choice delectable ethereal faint filmy fine fine-grained finespun flimsy fracturable frail frangible gauzy gossamery muted nice pale pastel recherché select shatterable shattery slight subdued superior
Antonyms
STRONGEST
callous crude firm hard harsh healthy horrible loud ordinary rough strong tough ugly unpleasant violent
WEAK
coarse healthful heavy imprecise indelicate indiscriminating inelegant insensitive robust uncareful uncritical unscrupulous
ADJECTIVE
fine
Synonyms
STRONGEST
delicate intelligent obscure pure refined sharp subtle
STRONG
acute clear hairsplitting keen minute nice petty quick sensitive sterling trifling
WEAK
abstruse critical cryptic distinct enigmatic esoteric fastidious fine-spun precise recondite strict tasteful tenuous unadulterated unpolluted
Antonyms
STRONGEST
forthright indefinite
STRONG
blunt dull imprecise
WEAK
coarse crude undiscriminating unrefined
ADJECTIVE
subtle
Synonyms
STRONGEST
exquisite faint indirect ingenious profound slight sophisticated understated
WEAK
attenuate attenuated deep discriminating ethereal fine finespun hairsplitting illusive implied inconspicuous indistinct inferred insinuated mental penetrating refined suggestive tenuous thin
Antonyms
STRONGEST
ignorant stupid
WEAK
forthright hard harsh honest noisy open unsubtle

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.

But neither of his grandfathers had much; his father has a receding hairline.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

Dodgers catcher Will Smith has a hairline fracture in his right hand and is doubtful to return before the end of the regular season, according to manager Dave Roberts.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2025

With chilling nonchalance, Victor observes the start of a hairline fracture that will eventually produce a painful crack.

From Salon • Jul. 28, 2025

The site's eventual closure was sealed when hairline cracks were found in the graphite bricks which make up its nuclear cores.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2025

When he and G’ma step up to the Superman: Tower of Power—what they've decided will be their final ride—Scoob’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline.

From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone