subtly

[suht-l-lee, suht-lee]

adverb

1. in a way that is so fine or delicate as to be difficult to perceive.

   The vegetables tasted subtly of the grill, but each still held its own unique flavor.

2. in a way that shows or requires mental penetration or discernment.

   In the press, comment and analysis must be subtly distinguished from news.

3. in a way that shows highly refined skill; cleverly or ingeniously.

   He has developed his own style of playing the whistle and subtly incorporates features that evoke other traditional instruments.

4. in a wily or cunning way; craftily.

   Under the guise of journalistic objectivity, news programs subtly play on our emotions—chiefly on our fears.

Other Word Forms

• nonsubtly adverb
• oversubtly adverb
• pseudosubtly adverb
• unsubtly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of subtly¹

subt(le) ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

The main stage also has a thick concrete ceiling, and its subtly faceted acoustic wall panels, embedded with micro-perforations, double as sound absorbers and diffusers, subtly tuning the space.

From Los Angeles Times

Not coincidentally, many of those movies were, subtly or overtly, concerned with women’s bodies and forms of sexist repression.

From Los Angeles Times

When Guardiola made those comments about modern football he was already beginning to experiment with a subtly more direct style of play.

From BBC

There is research into whether it is possible to minimise the risk of ACL injuries, by training female athletes to move in subtly different ways.

From BBC

“Westworld” ham-handedly drew direct parallels to slavery in its robot narratives while “Humans” more subtly dramatized the legal implications and societal upheaval that could result from robots seeking the same rights as humans.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• casually 
• delicately 
• easily 
• faintly www.thesaurus.com
• freely 
• gingerly 
• mildly 
• moderately 
• quietly 
• simply 
• slightly 
• softly 
• sparsely 
• tenderly 
• thinly www.thesaurus.com