subtlety Synonyms & Antonyms
What Is Another Word for Subtlety?
Common synonyms for subtlety are artifice, craftiness and cunning.
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Subtlety as a Noun
The quality of being subtle. The quality of being scarcely noticeable or difficult to discern.
the subtlety of the Mona Lisa’s smile
The quality of being scarcely noticeable or difficult to discern.
the subtlety of the Mona Lisa’s smile
The quality of being done in a clever way that is not obvious or not direct; the quality of being carefully thought out.
the subtlety of a writer’s analysis / of a singer’s phrasing
The quality of being able to achieve one's aims through clever, delicate or indirect methods.
With all his usual subtlety, he quietly fixed the problem before anyone else noticed it.
The quality of being able to notice or understand things that are not obvious.
An instance of being subtle, a subtle thing, especially a subtle argument or distinction.
The subtleties of this overture are often overlooked.
An ornate medieval illusion dish or table decoration, especially when made from one thing but crafted to look like another.
At the king's coronation feast, several subtleties were served between main courses.
The quality of being clever in surreptitious or deceitful behaviour; an act or argument that shows this quality.
A trick that creates a false appearance.
The property of having a low density or thin consistency.
The property of being able to penetrate materials easily.
The quality of being subtle.
Synonyms & similar words
Subtlety in a Sentence
the subtlety of the Mona Lisa’s smile
the subtlety of a writer’s analysis / of a singer’s phrasing
With all his usual subtlety, he quietly fixed the problem before anyone else noticed it.
The subtleties of this overture are often overlooked.
At the king's coronation feast, several subtleties were served between main courses.
Word Forms & Grammar
subtlety (countable and uncountable, plural subtleties)
Origin of Subtlety
From Middle English sotilte, from Old French sutilté, inherited from Latin subtīlitās, from subtīlis (“subtle”). Equivalent to subtle + -ty. Doublet of subtility.
Word Facts for Subtlety
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈsʌt(ə)lti/ |
| Meaning | The quality of being subtle. The quality of being scarcely noticeable or difficult to discern |
| Synonyms | artifice, craftiness and cunning |
| Plural | subtleties |