Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a subtle manner; with subtlety.
  • Slyly; artfully; cunningly.
  • Deceitfully; delusively.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a subtle manner; slyly; artfully; cunningly.
  • adverb Nicely; delicately.
  • adverb obsolete Deceitfully; delusively.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb With subtleness, in a subtle manner. With cleverness rather than brute force.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in a subtle manner

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Scenes alternate between Peder Forbarth, a lowly 'sartorial' who happens across a near-legendary suit of clothes that begin subtly altering him, and a Ziode ship secretly probing the origins of the Caean culture.

    Book 15: The Garments of Caean eddvick 2008

  • Along the way, Stubin subtly reveals how a book's index, though it looks unassuming, should be the product of long and careful thought.

    Archive 2008-04-01 2008

  • Of course, consult your doctor first before switching out any medication (especially as some commenters are saying generics can actually vary subtly from the brand name, and some patients can have adverse reactions to different kinds of thyroid meds).

    BCBS Double Copay On Thyroid Meds - The Consumerist 2008

  • One gets that disheartening impression that the Caucus posters relish in subtly amplifying the FOX News “flip-flopper” meme.

    Obama Addresses Critics on ‘Centrist’ Moves - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com 2008

  • His non-judgmental cinema creates a flirtation utilizing an unsentimental balance between compassion and sensitivity, steeped in subtly deep melodrama but frequently with an overall bleak and pessimistic outlook.

    GreenCine Daily: DVDs, 1/5. 2007

  • This Great American poster was not alone in subtly distorting reality.

    The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture: 1776-1876 2005

  • As though he could read her mind, his expression subtly changed.

    Forbidden Enchantment Bruhns, Nina 2007

  • These variations result in subtly different characters.

    Boing Boing 2004

  • The main use for that particular answer to Nan was to let her know as subtly as possible that she was not to impart that information either, if one of the other pupils asked her.

    The Wizard Of London Lackey, Mercedes 2005

  • I like it better when inside jokes and backscratching are written in subtly enough that an outsider doesnt notice them.

    Trash-Talking and the Weeklies at cvillenews.com 2002

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