subtly
48
5.1
- adverb
- /ˈsʌtli/
:
sutilmente
- She subtly hinted at her feelings without stating them directly.
- more subtly
- subtly alter
- subtly change
It's not even a subtly different world.
- It's not even a subtly different world.
- What we want to try and do is subtly change the output to avoid certain words.
- And then you don't hear from them again and they kind of subtly fade away.
- They have all the same traits and characteristics, they just express them more subtly.
- But I love the way that this is done so subtly.
Examples
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But actually, it was done slightly more subtly than that.
-
Notice how subtly I'm ushering you towards the door.
-
So it's just very, very subtly bringing those areas forward.
-
Be aware of what your characters sound like, and use their speech to subtly deliver information about them.
Academic text (2011) -
The conflict is dealt with very subtly in this story.
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It must be done subtly, yet with authority.
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To be sure, European culture and religion were subtly, if not forcibly, imposed on the colonies.
Academic text (2008) -
But then the looks on Guards' faces began to change, subtly at first, from amusement to horror.
Fiction book (1993) -
For about five minutes, each student practiced and subtly altered her own motif, looking for the preferred version.
Academic text (1999) -
I think this is supposed to be like a nice more lengthening, subtly volumizing formula.
Synonyms
78
4.2
In a way that does not say something clearly, often by a hint or through someone else
47
2.7
In a way that is only slightly noticeable
44
3.7
Gently and carefully to avoid hurting people or breaking things
10
7.3
In a way people understand without anyone saying it
7
7.5
So slight that you do not notice it
Antonyms
How Subtle
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Subtly comes from subtle, which is from Latin subtilis and the part sub- meaning 'under', so it gives the image of something doing or saying a little thing 'under the surface' or very fine. So to act subtly is to do it in a small, quiet way that is not obvious.