subtle

A person who behaves in a subtle manner does something that is not very noticeable. A subtle change might be hard to detect. The word "subtle" is an adjective that can be used for people or things. Notice that the "b" in this word is silent.

• The chicken we ate for dinner last night had a light, subtle flavor.
• Changes made to the color of the house were so subtle that no one really noticed them.
• Renee dropped a subtle hint that she was interested in a new job.
• Tom takes a subtle approach when dealing with difficult customers, but Sarah believes he needs to be more direct.
• It’s better to wear a subtle perfume than one that is overwhelming.
• Rodney noticed the subtle, racist remark that his classmate made in a class discussion.
• The employees of the company were not subtle in their demands for higher wages.
• Roger’s change in mood was so subtle, it was hard to tell how happy he was upon hearing the good news.

He can be very subtle when it comes to expressing his emotions.

Learn more vocabulary on this page.

Published on February 23, 2018