subtile

adjective

Definition of subtilenext
as in subtle

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for subtile
  1. subtle
  2. cunning
  3. wily
  4. artful
  5. crafty
  6. trick
  7. sly
  8. tricky
Adjective
  • The rash can be more subtle on darker skin tones, but a bumpy or textured feel is often present.
    — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The last major change was the iPhone X, which dropped the home button almost a decade ago, and even that was a fairly subtle improvement.
    — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • Magpies are opportunistic scavengers, incredibly cunning and deceitful and capable of calculated deception.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, Alan Cumming’s cunning competition empire The Traitors unsheathed its most diabolical twist yet.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • From glittering ghosts, ghastly goblins and wicked witches to wily warlocks, fashion can inspire any Halloween transformation.
    — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The wily strategist told Tian Ji to race his best horse against the king’s second best, his second best against the king’s third best and his worst against the king’s best.
    — Dana Mackenzie, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of wily
Adjective
  • Each room centers on at least one meaningful possession of Corcoran’s, surrounded by custom seating, cheerful window treatments and wall coverings, warm pools of lamplight, and an artful mix of antiques.
    — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Inde Navarrette in Schiaparelli From Daniel Roseberry’s Fall 2026 haute-couture collection for Schiaparelli, this gown worn by Obsession star Inde Navarrette beautifully represents the artful whimsy that is synonymous with the French house.
    — Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of artful
Adjective
  • Throughout the book, Przystup shares ways of infusing the seasons into her daily life and home with crafty decor, rituals, hosting, and more.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2026
  • There’s seat-shaking violence in how the whale breaches the surface and slams its weight back down (the crafty sound design is by James Miller) and body horror in its claustrophobic, spongy inner chambers.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of crafty
Adjective
  • As Halloween approaches, investors seem fearful that good credit performance may be more trick than treat.
    — Telis Demos, WSJ, 21 Oct. 2022
  • If the high cost of it all is more trick than treat for you, here are several ways to turn your already smart home into a spook-tacularly genius haunted house.
    — Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021
Definition of trick
Adjective
  • But Sinestro is a sly, slippery foe and is never to be trusted!
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The movie offered a sly critique of Korea’s rapid urbanization, and introduced the wayward types (bar girls, severely disabled men) that would populate all of Lee’s films.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of sly
Adjective
  • The tricky part was making sure Skarsgård could still emote while wearing the prosthetics.
    — Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
  • And while adding these colors into your wardrobe may be as simple as swapping vibrant sweaters for moody, more autumnal-toned ones, altering your makeup routine can be tricky.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of tricky
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

subterranean
subtile
subtilty
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Cite this Entry

“Subtile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subtile. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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